THIBODAUX, La. - Following its weekend off, the Nicholls State University women's basketball team will host first-place Stephen F. Austin Wednesday, Feb. 4 on Broussard Court in Stopher Gymnasium. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Nicholls dropped its first three league games at home, but bounced back with a 16-point victory over rival McNeese last Wednesday. While the Colonels had one of their best games of the season, it was senior forward Chrystal Ezechukwu who stood out with a career-high 35 points. She was named Southland Conference and College Sports Madness Mid-Major Player of the Week after scoring the most points in a single game of any player in the SLC this season. 

Winners of two of its last three, Nicholls (6-14, 3-8 SLC) shot 53 percent from the field in the victories and made at least 73 percent of its free throws. The Colonels are shooting at just under 40 percent from the field on the season.

Over the last six games, Ezechukwu has climbed up the Southland leaderboard in scoring by netting double figures in all but one contest. Included in the span are three new career highs in points as she scored 23, 25, and then 35 last week. She now ranks sixth in the Southland in scoring overall at 14.0 ppg, and is second in league play at 16.5.

Head Coach DoBee Plaisance has relied heavily on her seniors for offense with Airi Hamilton (11.8 ppg) and Tykeria Williams (10.1) joining Ezechukwu in double figures. Williams ranks second in the SLC with 5.0 assists per game and has totaled 13 in the last two outings. Sophomore Loan-Anh Johnson is the third-leading scorer on the team at 10.3 points.

Stephen F. Austin is 16-4 overall and is tied for first in the Southland at 9-2. The Ladyjacks saw their six-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday, falling to at Sam Houston. Along with the Bearkats, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is also 9-2 to create a three-way tie at the top. 

SFA boasts the league's best scoring defense at 54.0 points per game. Since the start of conference, the Ladyjacks have held the opposition to fewer than 45 points in five games. 

On offense, SFA has a trio of scorers averaging double figures. Stephanie Visscher heads the offense with 14.6 points, followed by Alyana Johnson's 12.9. The third-leading scorer, Marissa Banfield (10.0), is currently tied for first in the Southland with 54 made 3-pointers. Banfield scored 18 in last season's win over the Colonels.

STAY SOCIAL
For more information on Colonels Women's Basketball, follow the team on Twitter (@Nicholls_WBB) and Instagram (@Nicholls_WBB)