Men’s basketball continues historic season as Southland Conference begins

With the regular season wrapped up and the Southland Conference tournament beginning this week, the Nicholls State University men’s basketball team has hopes that this will not be the last week of basketball they will play this season. The Colonels (21-10, 15-3 SLC) enter the fight for a Southland Conference championship and NCAA tournament bid ranked as the second seed out of eight teams, dropping from first with their defeat at the hands of Southeastern Louisiana University on Saturday.

RECAP
In a game played without one key cog in their starting rotation, the Colonels ultimately fell to Southeastern Louisiana University by a score of 69-57. Without starting guard Tevon Saddler, who was sidelined with a dislocated kneecap that will keep him out of this weekend’s tournament games, the Colonels struggled offensively as their eight-game win streak came to an end.

Senior guard Jahvaughn Powell explained that while Saddler was a major part of the team that will be missed during the team’s upcoming games, the team will do their best to adjust to him being out.

“He was a big piece missing, but we have a little more time to make adjustments now,” said Powell. “Missing him is missing defensive rebounds, missing that vocal leadership on defense that he brings. That’s what we have to get better at for the tournament coming up.”

The loss to Southeastern dropped the Colonels into second place in the conference and into a share of the Southland Conference regular season title. Regardless, the team earned a double-bye in the tournament and will play their first game in the semifinal round on Friday, March 9, at 7:30 p.m.

SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE HONORS
Southland Conference postseason awards were recently given out, and the Colonels were well represented. Head coach Richie Riley was selected as the Southland Conference Coach of the Year on the heels of leading the Colonels to their first conference title in 20 years. This is the first time a coach at Nicholls has earned this honor since 1998.

“It’s a special honor to be considered the coach of the year by your peers, the media and our league,” said Riley. “It’s an award more for our players and my staff, I’m blessed and lucky to have a tremendous staff. I get to keep the trophy and take it home, but it’s really a credit to how our guys have played and the great job our staff has done.”

Senior guard Roddy Peters, the team’s sixth-man and leading scorer with 19.5 points per game, was awarded SLC First Team All-Conference and the Newcomer of the Year award.

“I’m grateful for it. I appreciate them showing respect and everything to me and my teammates who were honored,” explained Peters. “That’s not really a goal of ours but we appreciate being shown respect.”

Senior guard Jahvaughn Powell was awarded for his stellar defensive play with a spot on the SLC All-Defensive Team. As well as being a stout perimeter defender, Powell was first on the team in steals, averaging 2.1 steals per game.

“It means a lot to be able to do that this year, in my last season,” said Powell. “It meant a lot for me and my family, as well as Colonel nation. So it’s a good feeling.”

Senior guard Tevon Saddler was awarded with Second Team All-Conference. Saddler, who played his first season as a Colonel after transferring to Nicholls last season, was the team’s second leading scorer (15.8 points per game) and leading rebounder (6.6 rebounds per game).

TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
With the Colonels securing a double-bye, they will be well rested when they play their first game on Friday. As the two-seed, the Colonels will face either Stephen F. Austin University, Lamar University or the University of Central Arkansas. While the postseason is a whole new ballgame, the Colonels went a combined 3-1 against these teams, with the loss coming from Stephen F. Austin.

According to Riley, with the last game the Colonels played ending in a loss, the team will have extra motivation heading into the tournament.

“The fact that you’re coming in on a loss should be motivation, we haven’t loss in the whole month of February,” said Riley. “To lose sometimes, it refocuses you and hopefully it does that to us. We tasted that loss that we hadn’t in a long time, so hopefully it makes us appreciate winning even more and helps us find a way to win two more games.”