THIBODAUX, La. -- The Nicholls State University men's basketball program (2-5, 0-1 SLC) put together a gritty effort in what amounted to both the team's home and Southland opener against Sam Houston State (7-5, 1-0 SLC), dropping a tight 84-81 contest to the visiting Bearkats on Saturday evening at Stopher Gym.

The back-and-forth matchup featured hot and cold periods for the Colonels throughout, including a scorching 9-of-13 start from beyond the arc which helped grow a quick 15-point edge for the Red & Gray. The Bearkats would battle back to close out the first half, though, even grabbing a lead inside the final three minutes. The second period would prove tighter, however, as neither squad managed to create a double-digit advantage, bouncing the lead back six times overall and enduring four ties.

KEY STORYLINES & STATISTICS
-- For the game, Nicholls finished shooting 46.9 percent (30-of-64) from the field, 36.4.9 percent (12-of-33) from the three-point line and 75.0 percent (9-of-12) at the charity stripe.
-- Individually, the Colonels boasted a quartet of double-digit scorers as the team produced a well-balanced attack throughout; notably, senior Kevin Johnson set the tone with a squad-best 17 points behind a career-high five triples, finishing with five assists, three rebounds and two steals as well.
-- Meanwhile, senior Jeremiah Buford notched his second consecutive double-digit performance, racking up 15 points on a 3-of-8 showing from long range. The Georgia native served as the Red & Gray's weapon of choice on a potential game-tying shot at the buzzer, rimming out a sideways fade at the right-wing.
-- Redshirt junior Ty Gordon continued his strong season for Nicholls, racking up 15 points as well in his sixth double-digit showcase of the season. Meanwhile, redshirt senior Andre Jones rounded out the top scorers for the Red & Gray, notching 11 points while dishing out a team-high six assists.
-- On the glass, senior Ryghe Lyons and redshirt junior Najee Garvin each pulled down seven boards apiece while redshirt senior Damien Sears grabbed six of his own.

UP NEXT
With the conference opener against Sam Houston State out of the way, the Colonels shift focus to the next matchup of their three-game home stretch, hosting Lamar on Wednesday, Jan. 6 at Stopher Gym, tip set for 7 p.m.

STAY SOCIAL
For more information on Colonels Men's Basketball, follow the team on Twitter (@Nicholls_MBB), Instagram (@nicholls_mbb) and like their Facebook page (Nicholls Athletics).