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Nicholls State men’s basketball coach J.P. Piper is known for creating challenging non-conference schedules designed to get his team ready for Southland Conference play.
The Colonels’ 2012-13 slate should do just that – it’s loaded with games against elite talent.
The Nicholls State athletic department released the Colonels’ 2012-13 basketball schedule this week.
During the course of the four-month grind, the Colonels will take on four 2012 NCAA Tournament teams and six teams who played in postseason last year.
“We always like to play a really competitive schedule in pre-conference,” Piper said.
“Our guys have the opportunity to play some of the best teams in the nation this season.”
The Colonels will be challenged from the opening tip in 2012-13.
Nicholls will start its season on Nov. 10 in a road tilt with Vanderbilt.
The Commodores are annually among the best teams in the SEC. Last season, they posted a 25-11 record.
Following the road game in Nashville, Nicholls will return home for an exhibition against Mobile.
Following that game, the team will experience life on the road.
The Colonels will play eight of their nine games away from Stopher Gymnasium following the exhibition game.
The competition Nicholls will face in the trip is steep and includes top-flight teams like Missouri (Nov. 16), Michigan State (Dec. 1), Southern Illinois (Dec. 21) and Nebraska (Dec. 29).
Following the game against the Cornhuskers, Nicholls will return home for the beginning of its Southland Conference schedule.
The Colonels will play four of its first six Southland Conference games on the road.
They will make up for it with a home-heavy second-half slate that keeps the team in Stopher Gymnasium for seven of the final 12 Southland games.
The Colonels will take on 2011-12 league champion Lamar twice during the season – a road tilt on Feb. 19 and a home game on March 7.
The team will also play conference newcomer Oral Roberts on Jan. 5 and Jan. 31.
In the middle of Southland play, the Colonels will participate in ESPN’s Bracketbuster Weekend.
That game will take place on Feb. 23 against an opponent yet to be named.
Piper said he believes the team’s early challenges will make conference success more likely.
The Colonels return most of its 2011-12 rotation – a group that advanced to the conference tournament a year ago. In addition to the returnees, the team will also welcome back Fred Hunter, who redshirted last season with a Torn ACL injury.
Having those players back has the coach optimistic about the team’s chances.
“These games are tough but it allows us to challenge the guys,” Piper said. “And prepare them for play in the Southland Conference.”
Women ready for stiff competition
Like the Nicholls men, the Colonels’ women’s basketball will be playing top-flight competition in 2012-13.
Nicholls State released its women’s schedule this week – a slate that features a pair of games against teams that competed in postseason play last year.
“I’ve always put together a very challenging non-conference schedule,” Colonels’ fifth-year coach DoBee Plaisance said. “There are three seasons – non-conference, conference and postseason. Conference is what will get you into the postseason and I believe the non-conference is what will prepare you for your conference.”
The Colonels will begin their preparation for the Southland schedule in the Windy City.
Nicholls will open its season in the Maggie Dixie Classic – a tournament hosted by DePaul.
The Colonels will play the host team in their season opener on Nov. 9.
The Blue Demons won 23 games last season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
After their stay in Chicago, the Colonels will return home and take on in-state foes UNO, UL-Monroe and UL-Lafayette before playing in the Basketball Travelers Invitational in Lubbock, Texas.
While there, the Colonels will play a return game with UNO and also games with tournament host Texas Tech and Southern Utah.
Nicholls will begin its conference schedule on Jan. 3 in a home tilt with Central Arkansas.
The Colonels will be challenged from the opening tip in the Southland, playing conference powers Central Arkansas and McNeese State in the opening two games of the league season.
Nicholls will have its chance to host the 2012 Southland Champion Cowgirls on March 9 in Stopher Gym – the final game before the Southland Conference Tournament. Unlike the men’s team, the Colonel women will replace their top guard and post player this season with Sumar Leslie and Jasmine Hoskins both graduated.
Below are the Nicholls State basketball schedules
2012-13 Men’s Basketball Schedule
Nov. 10 @ Vanderbilt
Nov. 13 vs. Mobile
Nov. 16 @ Missouri
Nov. 26 vs. UNO
Dec. 1 @ Michigan St.
Dec. 4 @ Tulane
Dec. 12 @ UNO
Dec. 20 vs. Utah St.**
Dec. 21 vs. Southern Illinois**
Dec. 22 vs. California-Davis
Dec. 29 @ Nebraska
Jan. 3 vs. Central Arkansas*
Jan. 5 vs. Oral Roberts*
Jan. 7 @ McNeese St.*
Jan. 12 @ SE Louisiana*
Jan. 17 @ Northwestern St.*
Jan. 19 @ Stephen F. Austin*
Jan. 24 vs. Texas A&M-CC*
Jan. 26 vs. Sam Houston St.*
Jan. 31 @ Oral Roberts*
Feb. 2 @ Central Arkansas*
Feb. 9 vs. SE Louisiana*
Feb. 14 vs. Stephen F. Austin*
Feb. 16 vs. Northwestern St.*
Feb. 19 @ Lamar*
Feb. 23 Bracketbuster Game
Feb. 28 @ Sam Houston St.
March 2 @ Texas A&M-CC*
March 7 vs. Lamar
March 9 vs. McNeese St.
*DENOTES SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE GAME
**DENOTES GAME IS PART OF WORLD VISION CHALLENGE
2012-13 Women’s Basketball Schedule
Nov. 9 vs. DePaul**
Nov. 10 vs. TBD**
Nov. 13 @ UNO
Nov. 16 vs. UL-Monroe
Nov. 19 vs. UL-Lafayette
Nov. 23 vs. UNO***
Nov. 24 vs. Texas Tech***
Nov. 25 vs. Southern Utah***
Dec. 14 @ Alabama St.
Dec. 19 @ Arkansas St.
Dec. 29 @ Texas Southern
Jan. 3 vs. Central Arkansas*
Jan. 5 vs. Oral Roberts*
Jan. 7 @ McNeese St.*
Jan. 12 @ Southeastern Louisiana*
Jan. 17 @ Northwestern St.*
Jan. 19 @ Stephen F. Austin*
Jan. 24 vs. Texas A&M-CC*
Jan. 26 vs. Sam Houston St.*
Jan. 31 @ Oral Roberts*
Feb. 2 @ Central Arkansas*
Feb. 9 vs. SE Louisiana*
Feb. 14 vs. Stephen F. Austin*
Feb. 16 vs. Northwestern St.*
Feb. 19 @ Lamar*
Feb. 28 @ Sam Houston St.*
March 2 @ Texas A&M-CC*
March 7 vs. Lamar*
March 9 vs. McNeese St.*
*DENOTES SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE GAME
**DENOTES GAME IS PART OF MAGGIE DIXIE CLASSIC
***DENOTES GAME IS PART OF BASKETBALL TRAVELERS INVITATIONAL
Nicholls State junior guard KK Babin dribbles the ball during a Southland Conference Tournament game last season. Babin and the Colonels will have to endure a tough non-conference schedule this season.
