THIBODAUX, La. - Playing in front of its home crowd for the final time this season, the Nicholls State University men's basketball team put on a show by making 18 of 26 from three-point range as the Colonels cruised to a 92-82 win over UIW on Monday night on Broussard Court at Stopher Gymnasium. 

Robert Brown III and Michael Gray Jr. both tied the program's single-game three-point percentage record as they combined for 14 of 14 from behind the arc and 53 points. Brown set a new career-high in points with 28 after making 8 of 8 from distance, while Gray also had a personal best 25 points on 6 of 6. The 18 made three-pointers were the most for the program since making 16 at No. 3 Purdue in December of 2021, and it was the most in Stopher since the Colonels set the program record with 22 in a 100-57 victory over Central Arkansas in 2019. 

Nicholls (16-12, 11-4 SLC) connected on an astounding 12 of 15 from three-point land in the opening half for a 47-34 lead. The Colonels led by as much as 29 before UIW (8-20, 3-12 SLC), which was playing shorthanded due to have multiple players suspended, withered the deficit down to nine points in the final minute. But Nicholls left with a 10-point win to stay in contention for one of the four byes in next month's Southland Conference Tournament. Next Saturday's opponent, McNeese, secured at least a share of the regular season title with Nicholls and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi tied for second with three games remaining. 

Brown started the shooting display with the Colonels' second field goal of the game, hitting one from deep for a 5-0 lead. Diante Smith followed with one for his only points of the game, and Brown added two more just six minutes into the game. He hit a fourth triple before the midway point and then the Colonel bench got involved.

Gray subbed in and drained back-to-back long balls, then Jalen White's three-pointer gave the Colonels their first double-digit lead at 29-19. Gray added three more triples and White sank another as Nicholls went into the break with a 13-point lead.

The intermission failed to cool off the Colonels as they began the second half with a 13-3 run, getting another three each from Gray and Brown. Then with 10 minutes to go in the game, Brown was fouled and still sank the three-pointer to finish off his 8-for-8 night. Byron Ireland, who had a game-high seven assists, drained the final three of the night at the 8:47 mark that gave the Colonels their largest lead at 83-54.

The 69.2 percent clip is the third best showing by a team with 10 or more made three-pointers in the NCAA this season. Of the 18 games where a team has made at least 15, the Colonels' percentage ranks at the top. 

In addition to the impressive night from behind the arc, Nicholls turned the ball over just six times which was its third lowest total of the season. Brown and Gray led the Colonels on defense as well with three steals each. Oumar Koureissi joined the duo in double figures after matching his career high of 14 points. 

Sky Wicks led UIW with 22 points while Dylan Hayman added  21. Unlike the Colonels, UIW was never able to find its stroke from distance and finished 6 of 26. The Cardinals were able to grab 15 offensive rebounds and turned it into 20 second chance points.

UP NEXT
Nicholls will close out the regular season with three road trips against in-state foes, starting Saturday, March 2 at McNeese. Tipoff in Lake Charles is scheduled for 4 p.m.