THIBODAUX, La. - Facing one of the hottest teams in the league, the Nicholls State University men's basketball team gave up 55 points in the first half before dropping its fifth straight home game with an 92-72 loss to UTRGV on Monday night inside Stopher Gymnasium. 

Nicholls (10-15, 9-7 SLC) could not slow UTRGV (14-11, 10-6 SLC) in the opening 20 minutes as the Vaqueros shot 65 percent including 8 of 14 from three-point range. The Colonels opened up the second half with a spirited effort and trimmed the deficit to 15 but never got any closer.

Trae English led the offense with his Colonel career-high of 20 points to go along with five steals, and Zee Hamoda totaled 16 points. Sincere Malone (13) and Grant Sanders (11) rounded out the leading scorers for Nicholls.

UTRGV, which claimed its eighth straight win, shot 65 percent, aided by Jaylen Washington's 26 points on 10 of 12 from the field. Koree Cotton was one of four Vaqueros in double figures with 15 points, and his three-ball four minutes into the game gave them the lead for good at 11-10.

The deficit was in single figures at 30-22 following a Hamoda layup with just over six minutes remaining, but UTRGV controlled the rest of the period. The visitors ended the half outscoring the Colonels, 25-8, capping the run with a steal and a near half-court shot by Washington at the buzzer. 

Following the intermission, Nicholls got consecutive basket-and-ones by Sanders and Hamoda. Then Hamoda struck from long range to make the score 57-41.

The closest the Colonels came in the second half was after an English three-pointer just under the 13-minute mark. However, UTRGV put to rest any chance of a rally with the next six points as they cruised to the victory.

UP NEXT
Nicholls will hit the road for its next four games, starting with a Saturday matchup with UIW. Tipoff is slated for 4 p.m.