Nicholls State University women’s basketball team starts Southland Conference play after an eventful winter break.

At the start of winter break the Colonels held a three-game losing streak, until the Colonels beat Lamar University (65-59). The Colonels could not string two wins after an encounter with Houston Baptist University (71-80).

The Colonels were able to recover after five losses, during winter break, earing wins against Sam Houston State University (67-63), and Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi (64-62).

The game this past Wednesday against Southland Conference’s number one team, Northwestern State University, was a game where both teams knew each other’s style of play and allowed the Colonels to learn a different type of discipline from the game and helped the team gain a stronger sense of each other. “Staying focused, coming out strong and paying attention to detail is the main thing, especially against stronger teams,” forward LiAnn McCarthy, said.

After having seven new players come in this season, the team needed to work on team chemistry and construct the necessary foundation to succeed and make it to post-season. The team struggled early with being able to find the right balance between new and veteran players.

“It was difficult at the beginning to come together as a family, but now we have more chemistry on and off the court,” Hope Pawlowski, guard, said.
With a few injuries this season, the team continued their battle to succeed as a team until they can recover fully.

Tia Charles, a sophomore guard, played eight games this season and scored an average of 9.6. Last season, Charles started 22 of 30 games and earned All-Southland Honorable Mention. With the addition of Charles and Taylor Morrison, the Colonels have balanced the youth they were forced to play with earlier in the season with much needed veteran leadership.

“We are fighting the injury bug and have a great sense of coming back. We are coming together and confident,” Dobee Plaissance, head coach, said.

With a determination to win, the Colonels are focusing on their expectations of being able to go out on the court to win games and make a difference. They have seen highs and lows, but by living up to their own expectations, the Colonels will be able to find the success they seek.

“This is a high level of basketball and you can’t be at this level if you cannot score the basketball,” Plaisance said.