NEW ORLEANS - For the second straight year, the Nicholls State University women's basketball team knocked off the Tulane Green Wave for its first road win of the season as the Colonels hung on for a 65-63 victory Thursday night inside Devlin Fieldhouse.

Nicholls (1-1) raced out to a 23-12 lead through the first quarter and was up until Tulane (0-1) pieced together a late 8-0 run in the fourth to take a brief one-point lead. 

Freshman Tanita Swift gave Nicholls the advantage back with two free throws with 42 seconds to go and senior Deonna Brister added three down the stretch as the Colonels defeated Tulane`in two straight matchups for the first time since 1990-91.

Freshman Jesslynn Jalomo fueled the offense with 23 points and had two clutch three-pointers in the fourth quarter. Jalomo scored 17 points in the first half and finished the night 5 of 10 from behind the arc. Britiya Curtis, who had 18 points in the win over the Wave last year, also reached double figures with 12 after making 4 of 6 from long range.

Nicholls drained five threes in the first quarter to build the big lead but Tulane trimmed the deficit to 35-31 at the break. In the third, the Green Wave tied it up at 35-35 before Nicholls caught fire again as Emani Burks made a 3-ball and Curtis followed with two more.

Leading by two early in the fourth, the Colonels went on an 8-0 run with Jalomo canning another 3 to cap the spurt. Nicholls did not score again until Jalomo connected on another three for a 60-53 lead with 2:27 remaining.

Tulane's late push was sparked by free throws with five of their eight points coming from the charity stripe. But after Swift's free throws put Nicholls up for good, Brister's final free throw gave the Colonels a two-point lead with only 4.2 seconds remaining. Tulane got the ball downcourt but was unable to get a shot off before time expired.

 Sherese Pittman led Tulane with 14 points while Amari Mabry added 13.

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Nicholls will make its home debut on Tuesday, Nov. 12 against Grambling State. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.