THIBODAUX – With more late-game heroics, the Nicholls State University women’s basketball team defeated Houston Christian University by a final score of 52-50 on Saturday, Feb. 3.
The win brings Nicholls to a conference record of 4-5 and an overall record of 10-11.
Senior guard Kyla Hamilton led the team in points [10] and tied for the lead in assists [2] while grabbing seven rebounds and one steal.
Hamilton also put the Colonels out in front with 1.8 seconds left, dropping two free throws.
Defense played a big factor in the game, with junior forward Daelyn Craig grabbing nine rebounds, and junior forward Deonna Brister blocking three shots.
“Defense comes, turnovers come,” Craig said. “It’ll fall back good on us.”
This win also marks the tenth win of the season, which topped the win total from the last two seasons combined.
Nicholls head coach Justin Payne said the support system he has around him, plus his faith, is what helped him eclipse this mark.
“Wow, wow, wow,” Payne said. “All glory to God.”
In the first quarter, Nicholls allowed 18 points to HCU, also allowing the Huskies to go on a 12-0 run spanning the end of the first and start of the second quarter. making Payne unsatisfied with the performance.
“I kinda lit into them,” Payne said. “I said, look, this is not our defense, we need to settle in and make sure we guard the ball.”
Payne said that HCU came out as a strong opponent.
“They gave us all we had tonight, and we finished the job,” Payne said.
Nicholls went on a 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter, but the Huskies weren’t done yet, coming back to tie the game in the closing moments.
An HCU foul with 1.8 seconds to go in the game sent Hamilton to the line, where she drained both free throws to give the Colonels back-to-back wins for the first time since the first three games of the season.
The Colonels are back at home on Thursday, Feb. 8 for a match against Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Stopher Gym.
As with all Southland Conference games, ESPN+ will have the game broadcast.
