SAN ANTONIO, Texas - For the second straight time against UIW,
Robert Brown III put on a shooting clinic by draining 9 of 10 from three-point range for a career-high 37 points as the Nicholls State Univerisity men's basketball team never trailed in an 88-82 win Monday night inside the McDermott Center.
Brown, whose previous best of 28 points came in last season's home finale versus UIW where he made 8 of 8 from long range, pushed his streak to 17 consecutive made threes against the Cardinals by sinking his first nine attempts. He later made four free throws to withstand a late fury by UIW (9-8, 2-4 SLC), which trimmed a 16-point second-half deficit to three in the final minute.
Brown chipped in with seven rebounds and was one of three Colonels to score in double figures.
Jaylen Searles also had his best game in a Nicholls uniform, scoring 19 points to go along with seven rebounds and three steals.
Byron Ireland added 13 points and four assists.
In the first half, Nicholls (10-7, 4-2 SLC) connected on 8 of 11 from three for a 40-30 halftime lead. Brown was 6 of 6 and set the tone for the night by hitting his first just six seconds into the game. Searles was 2 of 2 as well but it was his old-fashioned that three ignited the bench when he hammered home an early dunk and added a free throw.
On the defensive end, the Colonels limited UIW to 1 of 8 from behind the arc through 20 minutes and held leading scorer Davion Bailey to no points.
After the break, the Red and Gray maintained a double-digit lead through the first 12 minutes, going up 69-53 on Brown's final three-ball.
But Bailey and company would mount a late comeback to make things interesting. Trailing by 10 with 45 seconds to go, Bailey hit a three, stole the inbounds, and made another three. Nicholls added a free throw before Jalin Anderson scored quickly for UIW to make it an 85-82 deficit. But the Colonels added three free throws to cap a 24-for-29 night at the charity stripe.
Nicholls finished 12 of 20 from three-point range -- a season-best -- and the 24 made free throws were also a high.
Jamal West Jr. was 6 of 6 at the line, scoring eight points, and added two blocks.
Bailey scored all 22 of his points in the second half. Anderson and Jordan Pyke each had 20 points.
UP NEXT
Nicholls returns home for the first time in over a month, hosting Stephen F. Austin on Saturday, Jan. 18 with tipoff scheduled for 3 p.m. following the women's game.
