HOUSTON, Texas - A 12-2 run to open the second half gave the Nicholls State University men's basketball team the lead for good against HBU, as the Colonels won their second straight road game with a 73-61 victory Saturday night in Sharp Gymnasium.
After a slow start, HBU overcame an early 10-point deficit to lead at the break, 34-33. But Nicholls came out of the locker room the same way it started the game, outscoring the Huskies 12-2 to go up by nine points. The Colonels led by as much as 20 before going on to record their fourth road win of the season.
Devante Carter led the offense with 19 points while adding five rebounds and four assists. Carter connected on 9 of 12 from the field as Nicholls shot 48 percent for the game. Although the 3-point shooting was off at 2 of 16, the Colonels outscored HBU in fastbreak points, 24-7.
Ryghe Lyons added 15 points while
Ty Gordon finished with 12 and
Pierce Spencer chipped in with 11.
The Colonel defense held HBU to 37 percent from the field. The Huskies scored just one field goal in the first seven minutes of the contest, and in the second half, had two points in the opening four minutes. The early second-half spurt by the Colonels was capped on a steal and layup by Gordon. He accounted for four of the Colonels' 11 steals. Lyons also had a strong game defensively with three blocks and eight rebounds.
Nicholls enjoyed a 47-40 advantage with 14 minutes remaining, but the Colonel defense once again sparked another run. All three of Lyons' blocks came during the stretch,
Latrell Jones added another and Gordon and Spencer each had a steal. On the offensive end, Lyons canned a 3-pointer to help fuel a 13-0 run that gave Nicholls a 60-40 lead.
HBU followed with a 7-0 run but never came closer than 11 points the rest of the way.
The Huskies were paced by Darius Lee with a game-high 22 points.
UP NEXT
Nicholls will wrap up its three-game road swing next Thursday at UIW. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
