THIBODAUX, La. - For the third time in the New Year, the Nicholls State University men's basketball team will make a trip to the Lone Star State with games against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Jan. 25) and UTRGV (Jan. 27).

Both contests will stream on ESPN+. Saturday's game versus the Islanders will start at 3:30 p.m. and Monday's matchup is set for 6:30 p.m.

Nicholls and AMCC split the season series last year, with both winning at home, but the Colonels took the final meeting with an 81-73 overtime victory in the SLC Tournament semifinals. Michael Gray Jr. shined in the win, scoring a game-high 23 points to propel Nicholls to the title game. 

Gray is one of four Colonels averaging double figures in road games this season, helping Nicholls to five victories outside of Thibodaux. He and Robert Brown III have been deadly from outside in the 10 road contests, combining to knock down 56 three-pointers at 46 percent. Brown and Byron Ireland led the offense at over 13 points per game in away games.

The Islanders (13-7, 6-2 SLC) are coming off a loss to HCU, dropping them 2.0 games back of McNeese but still in second place. Nicholls (11-8, 5-3 SLC) is a logjam for third with five teams tied at 5-3.

AMCC is led by Garry Clark, who has been a walking double-double in league play. Averaging 14.3 points and 10.1 rebounds, Clark has four double-doubles in the eight SLC games and had another outing where he finished a rebound shy of a fifth. 

UTRGV (12-7, 4-4 SLC) is in its first year in the Southland and will be facing Nicholls for the first time since a high-scoring 111-106 loss to the Colonels in 2017. Nicholls head coach Tevon Saddler suited up for the Red and Gray that season and scored 19 points in the win.

The Vaqueros won their last outing at UIW, 85-78, and will host McNeese on Saturday. UTRGV features one of the best three-point shooters in the league, Cliff Davis, who has knocked down 61 triples at 37 percent.