THIBODAUX, La. - Winners of three straight, the Nicholls State University men's basketball team will wrap up its home stand with contests against East Texas A&M (Saturday, Feb. 8/3 p.m.) and Northwestern State (Feb. 10/6:30 p.m.).
Nicholls (14-9, 8-4 SLC) entered the last game in a four-way tie for third place, and with the win over HCU, which was one of the four teams, the Colonels moved up to a four-way tie for second.
With only eight games remaining in the Southland schedule, McNeese holds a three-game lead in the standings and is in prime position for one of the two double-byes for the SLC Tournament. The No. 2 seed also gets a double bye, with No. 3 and 4 earning a single bye.
The Colonels will be looking to sweep East Texas A&M (3-20, 1-11 SLC) before aiming to avenge a loss to the Demons (10-12, 7-5 SLC). Nicholls had a lopsided win over the Lions on the road, 83-61, and lost in a thriller to NSU, 68-66.
In 11 home games this season, Nicholls has four players averaging double figures --
Byron Ireland (13.0 ppg),
Jamal West Jr. (11.3),
Michael Gray Jr., (10.9) and
Robert Brown III (10.5). Gray moved up to double figures after scoring 20 and 25 in the home victories over first-place McNeese and HCU last week.
West also scored in double figures in both wins and pulled down a season-high 13 boards against the Huskies.
