Colonels to play only second home game of season when hosting Elizabeth City

The Nicholls men’s basketball team will play at home for only the second time this season when the Colonels host Elizabeth City State University at 3 p.m. Saturday at Stopher Gym.

Nicholls heads into the game at 3-6 on the season and riding a three-game losing streak. Two of the three losses came against ranked teams.

In the Colonels’ most recent outing, which came last Saturday, Nicholls lost 68-55 against Louisiana Tech.

Nicholls was out-rebounded 47-30 and shot only 34 percent from the field while allowing 21 second-chance points in the loss to Tech.

The Colonels’ three-game skid began with a 71-61 loss at No. 25 Mississippi State.

Nicholls cut a 12-point deficit in the first half down to four points but that was as close as the Colonels would as the Bulldogs rebuilt their lead to 12 points at halftime, 36-24.

Any serious run to get back in the game for Nicholls fizzled in the opening minutes of the second half. MSU went on an 8-2 run less than three minutes into the second half to build an 18-point lead of 44-26.

Following the Mississippi State game, Nicholls hung with No. 9 Baylor, trailing 15-13 at one point before the Bears pulled away for a 103-70 win over the Colonels on Tuesday in Waco, Texas.

A 3-pointer by Rob Brown, three Brown free throws, two jumpers by Jamal West, and a fast break basket by Byron Ireland kept Nicholls in the game early.

A jumper by West made it 15-13 at the 11:21 mark of the first half, but Baylor went on to outscore the Colonels 35-12 the rest of the way to take a 50-25 lead. The 25-point halftime margin equaled the biggest lead of the first half for the Bears.

Nicholls features four players averaging double figures in scoring.

West leads the way, averaging 16.7 points per game. Diante Smith is averaging 12.1 points per contest, Jalen White 11.7, and Brown 10.7. West also leads the team in rebounding, pulling down 7.8 rebounds per game.

Elizabeth City, a Division II school, is 3-6 on the season.

The Vikings opened the season with wins over Kutztown and East Stroudsburg before losing three of their next four games.

Elizabeth City has won three in a row over Holy Family, Barton, and Chowan.

Jaquantae Harris leads Elizabeth City in scoring, averaging 13.3 points per game. Tre Richardson is averaging 11.4 points, and Michael Eads Jr. 10.9. Eads is also the team’s top rebounder, averaging 5.1 rebounds per game.

The Colonels’ first home game of the season, Nicholls defeated Blue Mountain Christian 86-56.