THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University men's basketball team had a season-high 21 turnovers and shot just 31 percent from the field as the first-place McNeese Cowboys handed the Colonels a 74-47 loss Saturday afternoon on Broussard Court at Stopher Gymnasium. 

With the loss, Nicholls (13-12, 8-4 SLC) fell back into a tie for second place while McNeese strengthened its lead in the standing at 23-3 overall and 12-1 in the Southland. The teams will meet again in Lake Charles on March 2.

Diante Smith and Robert Brown III were the lone Colonels to crack double figures, scoring 13 and 10 points, respectively. They accounted for four of the team's six three-pointers, but Nicholls connected on just 6 of 24 on the night. 

McNeese had six players with nine or more points, led by Christian Shumate with a team-high 12. The Cowboys shot 64 percent in the second half and finished at 53 percent for the game.

Nicholls and McNeese battled in the first half with the Cowboys leading 29-22 at the break. The game saw five ties and three lead changes with the Colonels' last lead coming at 17-16 on one of Brown's triples with seven minutes to go. But Nicholls was limited to just five points the rest of the half. 

The Cowboys scored the first seven points of the second half and then never looked back. McNeese pieced together a 12-0 run to go up by 22 and saw its lead grow to as much as 29. 

McNeese racked up 15 steals of the Colonels' 21 miscues and had a 23-3 advantage in points off turnovers. 

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Nicholls will head to New Orleans for a rematch against the Privateers on Monday, Feb. 19. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.