Fillin’ it up: Barrios doing a little of everything for the Colonels

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Cassidy Barrios isn’t the most athletic player in the Southland Conference, nor is she the biggest.

But the Houma native has one thing going for her that others around the league would love to have.


No matter what, she just finds a way to get buckets and create havoc for opposing teams.

Fresh off a successful freshman season in which she averaged 10.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, Barrios has been even better for the Colonels as a sophomore.

At press-time, the Lockport native and Vandebilt Catholic graduate averages 15.1 points per game, while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from behind the 3-point line.


In the past three Southland games, Barrios has been invaluable for the Colonels. She’s sat for just three total minutes in those games, shooting 15-of-25 from the field, while also averaging nine rebounds per game – production the Colonels have needed to win two of the three affairs.

“She’s emerging and becoming one of the most versatile players in the league,” Nicholls coach DoBee Plaisance said earlier this season. “The thing with Cassidy Barrios is you know she’s going to give you maximum effort and she has great basketball IQ, so you know she’s going to be in the right places at the right times in the right situations. She’s just a sophomore player, but she isn’t someone we consider to be an underclassman. She’s unquestionably one of the leaders of our team.”

Barrios’ versatility is a lot of what makes her special.


On the outside, she’s a threat.

She’s 22-of-62 from behind the 3-point line – one of the top percentages on a Nicholls team that shoots the outside shot as much as anyone in the Southland.

But inside, she’s no slouch, either.


If opponents crowd Barrios, she’s also smooth off the dribble, owning the ability to get into the paint, draw fouls and finish at the rim.

Barrios leads the Colonels in both free throws made and free throws attempted, shooting 92-of-110 from the line so far this season (83.6 percent).

If not fouled, she can finish in traffic over post players, thanks to her long, lanky, 5-foot, 10-inch frame and the soft touch on her jump shot.


When doubled or faced with special attention from defenders, Barrios can also pass out of traffic. She leads the Colonels with 56 assists on the season.

“She’s a special player,” former Lady Terriers coach Kiely Schork said during Barrios’ time in high school. “We rely on her for a lot, but nothing ever seems to be too much for her or too big for her. She’s a hard worker, and she is a great teammate and leader.”

On the defensive end, the Colonels rely heavily on Barrios’ size.


She often plays on the bottom, which puts her against opposing post players.

Barrios said she likes that physical style, saying she likes to bang against opposing bigs.

In a win against Lamar two Saturdays ago, she pulled down 13 rebounds to go along with 13 points.


“During our practices, we really stuck to our game plan,” Barrios said after that win. “We really needed to stop them from driving into the paint, and I think we really did that. … When we follow the game plan and we play our game, we’re pretty difficult to play against.”

The Colonels are currently 4-5 in the Southland – a record which leaves the team tied for seventh place.

But Nicholls is just one game out of fifth place and many around the league think there is no clear-cut superior team this year.


Barrios said she and the other Colonels want big home crowds for the rest of the season, touting that the more people that there are in the stands, the better the team plays.

Nicholls has four home games left – the next one coming seven days from now against Stephen F. Austin.

This week, the Colonels play at Southeastern Louisiana and at UNO.


Nicholls needs wins down the stretch of the season to ensure a spot in the Southland Conference Tournament.

“We had a big crowd today, and that really helped us,” Barrios said. “We need all the support that we can get. That’s a big part of what we do.” •

Cassidy Barrios


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