Colonels face challenges in 2017-18 schedule

Circle December 18 on your calendar, Nicholls fans.

Because one of the best women’s basketball teams in the country is coming to Thibodaux to play the Colonels.

Nicholls State University women’s basketball coach DoBee Plaisance announced Nicholls’ 2017-18 schedule this week – a challenging slate which contains one of the highest profile home matchup the Colonels have ever had.

A week before Christmas, Nicholls will host Baylor – a powerhouse program that is a perennial national contender.

That game highlights an impressive schedule that will challenge Nicholls before the chase for the Southland Conference championship begins in late-December.

Plaisance said getting Baylor to come to Thibodaux is a “huge deal.” The Bears have won two national titles in the past 12 years. They’ve made three Final Fours in the past 17 seasons.

They are coached by legendary coach Kim Mulkey, who is a hall of famer.

“We’re really excited about the matchup,” Plaisance said. “I always look forward to being on the opposite bench of Hall of Fame coaches like Kim Mulkey, who is also a personal friend of mine. I think it’s going to be an amazing atmosphere with a lot of energy, especially since Baylor has a few Louisiana players. It will be a great night for basketball.”

The Colonels will be heavily challenged in 2017-18 – both before and after they take on Baylor.

Nicholls opens the season on Nov. 10 on the road at SMU – a 19-win team from last season coached by former NBA player and LSU assistant coach Travis Mays.

After that matchup, the Colonels will be in Louisiana for a week, hosting Spring Hill (Nov. 14) and Jacksonville (Nov. 18) before taking on LSU in Baton Rouge.

The Lady Tigers made the NCAA Tournament last season and have several key returnees from that team.

Plaisance and Lady Tigers coach Nikki Caldwell go way back. Plaisance’s daughter, Theresa, played for Caldwell during her collegiate days before ascending to the WNBA.

For Thanksgiving, Nicholls will be in Cape Girardeau, Missouri for the SEMO Thanksgiving Classic.

During their time away, Nicholls will play two games – first against Bradley (Nov. 24) and also against Evangel College (Nov. 25).

In mid-December, the Colonels will see their stiffest challenges of the year.

The Colonels open the month at Jacksonville State (Dec. 2), before a two-week break for final examinations.

Out of the break, the Colonels close the month with five of their next six games on the road, including a road date with Iowa State – just a couple days after the Colonels host Baylor.

The Lady Cyclones are one of Baylor’s biggest rivals in the Big 12.

They’ve made the NCAA Tournament for the past several seasons, including last year when they won 18 games.

After the game at Iowa State, Nicholls opens Southland Conference play with two-straight road games.

The Colonels travel to Northwestern State on Dec. 28 then to Incarnate Word on Dec. 30.

Nicholls’ first home conference game comes after New Year’s with a Jan. 3 date with Stephen F. Austin.

Plaisance said the schedule is challenging, but it was made that way by design.

She said the goal of non-conference games are to get the team ready for Southland play. Plaisance added that with so many difficult games, she and her assistant coaches will get to analyze players to determine rotations for high-stakes conference games.

“It’s a very ambitious schedule,” Plaisance said. “We open up at SMU and then play at LSU and Iowa State, so those will be great road tests for us. I think it’s going to be beyond a great measuring tool to see where we are and I totally anticipate being more than competitive against those teams.” •

Nicholls women’s basketball

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