THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University women's basketball team has played some of its best basketball in the last few weeks and the Colonels will have another test Saturday as Nicholls heads to Conway for a matchup with Central Arkansas. Tipoff in the Farris Center is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Nicholls (9-16, 6-10 SLC) nearly knocked off second-place Sam Houston State two weeks ago and since then, has climbed back into the the Southland Conference Tournament race by winning three straight games. The Colonels trail Central Arkansas (11-14, 7-9 SLC) by a game for the final postseason spot, and are within two of UIW for No. 6 and 1.5 games behind Southeastern Louisiana for No. 7. A win over UCA would give the teams a split in the season series, while the Colonels already hold the advantage over Southeastern with a sweep of the Lady Lions.

Nicholls had won two consecutive games against UCA before the Sugar Bears earned a 53-46 victory in Thibodaux on Jan. 18. But in the all-time series, the Colonels have just three wins on the road including last year's as Nicholls won 64-60.

Over the last four games, Nicholls has shot at an average of 47 percent from the field while holding the opposition to 37 percent. Sam Houston finished just over 40 percent in its win, but the Colonels kept Lamar, Southeastern, and Northwestern State to under the mark.

Central Arkansas heads into the matchup looking to snap a three-game skid. After defeating McNeese, UCA played three of the top five teams in the standings and lost by double figures in all three contests.

UCA leads the all-time series, 17-9. The Sugar Bears put distance between the Colonels in the series after winning five consecutive before last year's Nicholls sweep. 

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