With everything on the line, and hopes of making the postseason tournament for the first time in years, the entire season was left in the hands of senior Stefan Blaszczynski. Down 77-76 with the seconds ticking off the clock, everybody in Lake Charles’ Burton Coliseum knew who was taking the last shot for the Colonels.
Driving down the lane with a McNeese defender playing close, Blaszczynski’s shot bounced off the rim. Although the Colonels snagged the offensive rebound, a jump ball was called with the Cowboys having the possession arrow eventually giving the Cowboys the win.
With the loss the Colonels were not out of the hunt, but needed a Texas-Arlington defeat at the hands of Texas State to get into the tournament; however, the Mavericks defeated the Bobcats 93-84.
Even with that scenario not working out, Nicholls still had a glimmer of hope in Hammond if Southeastern could hand Lamar its third loss in a row. But, with all options gone, Lamar defeated the Lions 83-64, leaving Nicholls out of contention.
It was only the third loss in an eight-game stretch for Nicholls, as the team put together a late season run that almost culminated in a conference tournament berth, which could have placed the team as high as second in the division and seeded fourth overall in the conference tournament in Houston.
Going into the final eight games of the conference schedule, the Colonels had to start winning games if the team had any shot of contending in the eastern division. The Colonels went into their home game with McNeese Feb. 3 sitting at 2-6 in conference and 3-19 overall.
Nicholls had proven that it was capable of winning at home during Southland play, with wins against Texas-Arlington and Texas State at home, but proved vulnerable at times to powers Northwestern and Sam Houston State.
Neither team could find a rhythm in the first half of the game. But the Colonels, who were trailing McNeese in the first half, had a scorching second half, outscoring McNeese by twenty points in the first eight minutes and propelling the team to a 61-53 victory.
Another point that hindered Nicholls was the team’s inability to win a game on the road. Nicholls was 0-4 on the road against Stephen F. Austin, Southeastern, Central Arkansas and Lamar. That streak continued two nights later falling 107-91 to conference leading Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
However, a week later, Nicholls needed an extra five minutes against Texas-San Antonio and outscored the Roadrunners 11-0 in the overtime period and earned its first road win of the season 65-54.
Winning close games continued to be a staple for Nicholls for the next two games with the Colonels defeating Southeastern 74-72 at home and then returning the favor to Northwestern by defeating the Demons at home 93-92.
In a matter of weeks, the Colonels turned a 2-6 conference start, to a 6-7 record that put the team right in the hunt for the last spot in the tournament.
The schedule was in the team’s favor, with two of the three remaining games at home.
Although Central Arkansas had defeated the Colonels in Conway earlier in the season, the Bears were the worst team in the division and only had two wins entering its game with Nicholls.
Still, the Bears defeated Nicholls 70-66 at home, putting the team’s fate into their own hands.
Two days before the loss to the Cowboys, the Colonels seemed to lay everything on the line for senior night, which was the last home game for Blaszczynski, and made 20 three pointers in the game defeating Lamar by 105-90.
“We knew going into the last half of the year that the team could either give up, or go to war for what they wanted to accomplish,” Piper said.
Piper said losing a player like Blaszczynski is always tough to handle, but Piper believes what will come in the future will give the Colonels the opportunity to become champions of the conference.
“The one thing I wanted to see for Stef was him ending his career making the tournament, and I really wish he could have had that,” he said. “The players we have returning, and newcomers have a taste of what it takes to win, and now that itch to make it there is even stronger.
