COMMERCE, Texas - The Nicholls State University men's basketball team returns to Southland Conference play searching for its first road win of the season in the first meeting against Texas A&M-Commerce in over 50 years. Tipoff on Thursday at the Field House is scheduled for 8 p.m.
The Colonels opened league play two weeks early with a home victory over Southeastern and will begin 2023 with three road games. Following Thursday's game at A&M-Commerce (5-10, 1-0 SLC), Nicholls heads to Natchitoches for a 3:30 p.m. matchup against Northwestern State (8-6, 0-1 SLC).
The two-time defending regular season champion Colonels could not have asked for a better start to their title defense as they defeated rival Southeastern, 88-73, on Dec. 15. Although Nicholls claimed a second consecutive outright title, it was no thanks to SLU which won both regular season matchups and in the Southland Tip-Off Event championship game.
Nicholls will take on a different set of Lions as Texas A&M-Commerce transitioned to the Division I level from DII and are in their first season in the Southland Conference. A&M-Commerce also got off to a fantastic start by knocking off UIW 82-74 in overtime on Saturday. Demarcus Demonia had a career outing in the win, scoring 33 points on 12 of 19 from the field. He enters the New Year tied for third with Nicholls' Latrell Jones in scoring in the Southland at 15.7 points per game.
Despite playing a second nationally-ranked team in a span of 11 days, Jones continued to impress with a team-high 18 points against No. 12 Baylor in the Colonels' last outing on Dec. 28. He and Caleb Huffman (15.1) are one of the two tandems in the Southland averaging over 15 points, joined by HCU's Brycen Long (15.5 ppg) and Bonke Maring (15.2).
Nicholls and Texas A&M-Commerce are not only meeting for the first time in conference play, but the teams have not played one another since 1966. The Lions are 3-0 all-time and will be hosting the Colonels for the first time.
Northwestern State had an impressive nonconference showing under first-year head coach Corey Gipson, picking up wins over nationally-ranked TCU, Southern Miss, and ULM, but have lost four straight after a tough 65-59 loss at home to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to open league play. The Demons grabbed a one-point advantage with 2:30 to go before the Islanders used an 8-0 run to seal the victory.
The Demons also feature a 1-2 punch on offense -- DeMarcus Sharp (15.9 ppg) and Ja'Monta Black (14.2). The duo has accounted for three of the league's eight 30-point performances, highlighted by Sharp's 34 in a victory at Stephen F. Austin.
Nicholls has won the last six meetings against NSU and 10 of the last 11. The lone victory for the Demons was on a buzzer beater in 2020 in Thibodaux.
STUFF STOPHER
Following the three-game road trip, Nicholls returns home to host Northwestern State (Jan. 14) and McNeese (Jan. 19). The contest against McNeese on Thursday will serve as the program's annual "Stuff Stopher" game. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time by calling the Nicholls Athletics Ticket Office at 985-448-4790 or visiting NichollsTickets.com.
FOLLOW THE COLONELS
Follow Nicholls Men's Basketball on social media on Twitter (@Nicholls_MBB) and Instagram. Follow Colonel Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and subscribe to the official YouTube channel (Nicholls Athletics).
