NSU men’s basketball to play tough schedule again

NSU Sports Information Desk

Head men’s basketball coach J.P. Piper unveiled the 2007-08 schedule on Friday morning, and the Colonels are set to play games at North Carolina, California, Alabama, UC Davis, Louisiana State, and New Orleans in their tough non-conference campaign.

&#8220We have put together another very tough schedule. I am sure that it will test us and hopefully toughen us up for the conference race,” Piper said. &#8220As we have done each year, we are playing against some of the best teams from the top conferences in the country.”

Nicholls will open up the schedule with a trip to Florida State on Nov. 9 before returning home to face Huston Tillotson in Stopher Gym on Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. After one game at home, the Colonels hit the road for seven straight contests with stops at Tulane on Nov. 16, California on Nov. 19, UC Davis on Nov. 21, and St. Mary’s on Nov. 24. Nicholls will conclude its November schedule in Baton Rouge, La. against Louisiana State on Nov. 28.

The December slate starts off with a trip to the University of New Orleans on Dec. 1 followed by a journey to face the Crimson Tide of Alabama Dec. 8. Nicholls will then return to the friendly confines of Stopher Gym to face former Southland Conference member Louisiana-Monroe on Dec. 11 at 6:30 p.m. The Colonels will then play Lipscomb in a home contest that is to be held at South Lafourche High School in Galliano, La. on Dec. 15 due to a conflict with graduation in Stopher Gym.

Nicholls will make the pilgrimage to face one of the most storied college basketball programs of all-time when they square off against North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C. on Dec. 19. Then the Colonels are off to play in the UNLV tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada from Dec. 28 to 30.

Nicholls will play UNLV, Kennesaw State, and Minnesota in the tournament.

Nicholls opens up conference play with the usual suspects, starting with Stephen F. Austin in Thibodaux, La. on January 10. The Colonels will then play at Sam Houston State on Jan. 12, at Texas-Arlington on Jan. 17, and at Texas State on Jan. 19 before returning home to face in-state and conference rival Southeastern La. on Jan. 26 at 5 p.m.

Nicholls will take to the road to square off against conference power Northwestern State on January 31 before returning to Stopher Gym to play a home contest against Central Arkansas on February 2 and Lamar on February 7. On Feb. 9, Nicholls will play at McNeese State, and then return home to play Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Feb. 14 and Texas-San Antonio Feb. 16. The last four regular season games include stops Southeastern on Feb. 23, a homestand against Northwestern State on Feb. 28, then road trips to Central Arkansas on March 1 and to Lamar on March 6 before closing out at home against McNeese State on March 8.

To view the full schedule, visit http://geauxcolonels.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/nist-m-baskbl-sched.html

FOOTBALL OPEN WEEK

After a 24-period practice yesterday that the Colonels used to mainly work on fundamentals, Nicholls heads back to the practice field today for 20-periods to fine tune their team during the open week.

&#8220It was good to get back to the basics and work on all of the little aspects of the game,” said head coach Jay Thomas. &#8220The redshirt freshman will get in a lot of action today.”

In the last four periods of today’s practice, the redshirt freshman offense and defense will square off against one another.

The Colonels (3-1, 0-0 SLC) have won three out of their first four games for the first time since 2002, and are 3-1 to start off a campaign for only the sixth time in their 35-year history.

On offense, junior Ladarius Webb will take reps under center and work out with the first team while junior quarterback Vincent Montgomery will be limited in practice after injuring his hand against Nevada. Webb became the first player in Southland Conference history to win player of the week awards for both offense and defense in the same season.

The defense will work on 1st and 10 situations and 3rd and short/long spots as the special teams plans to practice kickoff and kickoff return.

The Colonels will be back in John L. Guidry Stadium against Northwestern State on Saturday Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. The contest will be televised by Cox Sports Television.