COMMERCE, Texas - Diante Smith made two late three-pointers to send the game into both overtimes and Byron Ireland scored eight of the Colonels' 10 points in the final OT as the Nicholls State University men's basketball team outlasted Texas A&M-Commerce, 87-84, in double overtime Saturday afternoon inside the Field House.

In a game that featured 25 lead changes and eight ties, two of the ties happened in dramatic fashion thanks to Smith's late-game heroics. Texas A&M-Commerce's Tommie Lewis drained a desperation three-pointer to break a tie with 37 seconds to go in the game`but Smith answered immediately with his own three-pointer. Then in overtime after the Lions went up three on free throws with eight seconds remaining, Smith nailed another three-pointer with one tick left on the clock.
 

Dainte Smith (@D1ANTE0) hits his 5th 3 pointer of the game (29 points) with 1.5 seconds left in OT to tie the game for Nicholls State again 77-77 with Texas A&M-Commerce to force Double overtime pic.twitter.com/R1MgzT61ey

— NCAA Buzzer Beaters & Game Winners (@NCAABuzzerBters) January 27, 2024

In the second extra period, Ireland, who scored 21 points on 9 of 13 from the field, took over on offense with three buckets as Nicholls led 83-80 in the final minute. The Colonels then made four free throws in the final 30 seconds, including two by Ireland, to hold off the Lions for their third overtime victory in conference play.

With the win, Nicholls (10-10, 5-2 SLC) improved to 4-1 in overtime games this season. The victory was also the second barn-burner in Commerce in as many years as the Colonels fought back from a 17-point deficit in the second half to win last season. 

Smith totaled a career-high 29 points and collected his third double-double of the season with 11 rebounds. He finished 11 of 19 from the field and was deadly from long range, making 5 of 8. Joining Smith and Ireland in double figures were Robert Brown III and Jamal West Jr. with 16 points each. All of West's points came after halftime while Brown scored 10 in the first half to help Nicholls hold a 29-27 lead.

The Colonels shot 55 percent for the game and made 8 of 18 from three-point range, but turnovers allowed Texas A&M-Commerce (7-12, 1-5 SLC) to stay in the contest. With the Colonels leading 45-39 in the second half, the offense produced four turnovers over the next five minutes that helped fuel a 13-0 run by the Lions. 

The Lions maintained the advantage until West sank a pair of free throws with 1:08 to go to tie the score at 62. On the next possession, the Colonel defense looked to be on its way to a stop before Lewis heaved up a three-pointer to beat the shot clock and swished it. But even before the home crowd's excitement began to die down, Smith hurried down the floor and tied it up with a three-pointer to knot it at 65.

In overtime, Nicholls scored the first four points before Lewis and Ant Abraham hit consecutive three-pointers for a 71-69 Lion lead. The teams then traded free throws before Smith made a bucket from behind the arc for a 73-72 lead; however, Abraham answered with another triple. Brown had a chance to tie it with free throws with 11 seconds to go, but could only convert 1 of 2. The Lions pushed the lead back to three on free throws before Smith delivered again from the left wing for another game-tying three-pointer.

Lewis scored all seven points for the Lions in the second overtime but it was not enough. He led A&M-Commerce with 26 points while adding six assists and three steals. 

Nicholls limited the Lions to 42 percent shooting, helped by a 3 of 16 start from the field in the opening minutes. 

UP NEXT
Nicholls returns home for six of its next eight games, starting Saturday, Feb. 3 against HCU. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.