CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - After scoring just 18 points in the first half, the Nicholls State University men's basketball team found its offense in the second but could never take the lead as the Colonels were defeated, 61-57, by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday afternoon inside the American Bank Center.
Nicholls (11-9, 5-4 SLC) was down by as much as 10 in the first half but completely erased the deficit with 10 minutes remaining, tying the game at 40-all. However, A&M-Corpus Christi (14-7, 7-2 SLC) answered with an 8-0 run and did not let the visitors close the gap further than three points the rest of the way.
Jamal West Jr. carried the offense with 20 points on 7 of 15 from the field, and added eight rebounds and two blocks.
Robert Brown III also scored in double figures with 15 and had eight boards as well.
Trae English dished out five assists and
Michael Gray Jr. had eight points, helped by two second-half three-pointers, which were the only buckets from distance for the Colonels who shot 2 of 18.
Points were tough to come by in the opening 20 minutes as Nicholls shot 27 percent and did not have their first field goal until an
Emarion Ellis layup at the 11-minute mark. The Colonels then went through a five-minute scoring drought, ending it with dunks by Brown and
Mekhi Collins to make the score 19-16.
The Islanders countered with a 7-0 spurt and went into the break with a 26-18 advantage.
In the second half, West took over and scored 13 points as Nicholls tied the score for the first time with 10 minutes remaining. His basket-and-one knotted the game at 40-40.
But once again, the Islanders responded and connected on four straight field goals to fuel their 8-0 run. Nicholls would cut the deficit to three in the final minute after a Brown steal and bucket, but AMCC made five free throws down the stretch to pick up the win and remain in second place.
Garry Clark posted a double-double for AMCC with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Nicholls will stay on the road to take on UTRGV Monday night at 6:30 p.m.
