Colonels are Southland contenders

MLK Day brought food for thought
January 17, 2018
Local girls’ basketball is hot – red hot!
January 17, 2018
MLK Day brought food for thought
January 17, 2018
Local girls’ basketball is hot – red hot!
January 17, 2018

Last year, Nicholls State University men’s basketball coach Richie Riley had the worst feeling a coach could have.


He’d come back to the hotel, upset that the Colonels lost, but proud of the way the team had played – a helpless feeling that he said he vowed to himself he’d never feel again.

“We just didn’t have what we needed,” Riley said. “Our kids competed. They gave us everything they had. But it was such a helpless feeling. You’re doing the best that you can do and it’s still not good enough. That’s not something I ever wanted to get used to. That’s not something I ever wanted to be our new normal.”

So he reloaded – in a big, big way.


Riley’s recruiting efforts have paid huge dividends for Nicholls in the 2017-18 season, as both transfers and true freshmen have sparked a huge resurgence for the Colonels.

At press-time, Nicholls is 5-1 in Southland play – their latest win coming on Saturday against Central Arkansas.

They played Texas A&M – Corpus Christi on Tuesday but no score was available at press-time on Monday afternoon.


Win, lose or draw in that game, the statement has been sent: These Colonels are contenders.

“I like the way we compete,” Riley said. “I think our guys are committed to getting better and they understand that we have united goals. We’re scrappy and we’re getting a lot of contributions from an awful lot of guys.”

Never was that more evident than in the past week – victories over McNeese and Central Arkansas.


Against the Cowboys, Nicholls’ freshmen were huge.

Thibodaux native Kevin Johnson scored a career-high 19 points, including a huge made 3-pointer with less than a minute to play, which helped to ice the win.

Also huge in that game were seniors Roddy Peters, Kimani Jackson and Tevon Saddler, who scored 26 points, 11 points and 17 points, respectively, in the win.


Nicholls outrebounded McNeese 38-23 in the win – effort which helped the Colonels overcome what Riley called a subpar performance for his team.

To win a game when not playing well is something the Colonels could not do last spring.

“I love to win, but I love to win when we play well more than anything,” Riley said. “I didn’t feel like we were at our best from a focus standpoint.”


On Saturday, the Colonels’ focus was tested more than ever.

Nicholls trailed Central Arkansas 45-39 at halftime and the Bears were red-hot, having shot 14-of-26 from the field in the opening half of play.

But the Colonels stiffened in the second half, limiting the Bears to just 38 percent shooting in the second half, while cutting their free throw attempts from 17 in the first half to seven in the second.


On the other end of the floor, Nicholls attacked, penetrating the defense and earning their own free throw tries.

The Colonels got to the charity stripe 24 times in the second half, while shooting 54 percent from the field.

That allowed them to erase the deficit and earn another win.


In that victory, Peterson and Saddler again were scoring leaders, but unsung heroes helped out, as well.

True freshman Ryghe Lyons had 13 points, while senior Lafayette Rutledge had 10.

Senior Stevie Repichowski also added 7, including two made 3-pointers.


With the wins, the Colonels have drawn a clear line in the sand – they are true contenders in the Southland Conference.

At press-time on Monday, they were tied for first place in the league at 5-1 with UNO.

Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State and Southeastern Louisiana sag behind at 4-1.


The Colonels faced Corpus Christi on Tuesday, then will be off eight days, returning to action on Jan. 24 at Lamar.

COLONELS WOMEN LOOKING FOR SPARK

The Nicholls women are trying to find that same mojo the men currently have.

The Colonels went 1-1 this week, beating McNeese State 61-54 on the road before falling 69-48 at home against Central Arkansas on Saturday.


Against the Cowgirls, Nicholls fell behind 35-21 at halftime, but rallied back in the second half to secure a critical win.

Tykeria Williams led the Colonels in scoring with 17 points in the game, while Marina Lilly controlled the post, pitching in 12 with five rebounds.

Against Central Arkansas, the game was almost the exact opposite.


The Colonels played well in the first half, taking the game to halftime with the score tied at 25.

But in the second half, the Lady Bears sped up the pace and took the game over, improving their record to 13-4 and 6-0 overall in Southland play.

Tia Charles had 14 points in that game, while Williams and Cassidy Barrios pitched in 11 each.


With the week, the Colonels are now 3-3 in the conference, which is still firmly in the mix.

Like the men, the Nicholls women will play just once this week – at Texas A&M – Corpus Christi. That game will tip on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Nicholls State basketball


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