Saddler not only new face for Nicholls as men’s basketball team tips off 2023-24 season

A new, yet familiar face, will be roaming courtside for the Nicholls men’s basketball team with the start of the 2023-24 season.

Tevon Saddler, a former Nicholls player, returns to the Thibodaux school to guide the Colonels.

“To me, I won’t take that lightly. I thank God for that every day. I thank God for me being in the position I prayed for,” Saddler said. “Just being able to play here and now coach here, that’s been the best part for me because that’s been an easy transition. I know everyone in town. I know who supports the program. I have a great relationship with the athletic director and coaches on campus.

“Getting my first opportunity at Nicholls State University, I think, is just special.”

Saddler, the youngest coach in Division I men’s basketball, is just about the most familiar face for the Colonels. He inherits a team that went 16-15 a year ago but must replace all five starters from last season.

The Colonels have a roster of 14 players. Five are returnees, while nine are transfers.

Chief among the returnees is Micah Thomas. A 6-foot senior guard, Thomas is the Colonels’ top returning scoring, having averaged 8.4 points per game a year ago. He was named preseason All-Southland Second Team. He played at Northwest Florida State College and Indiana State before joining the Colonels in 2022.

Mekhi Collins, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound junior forward, is the team’s top returning rebounder, having averaged 2.6 rebounds per game a year ago.

“Mekhi Collins has a pretty good chance to have a breakout season. We are really excited about Mekhi,” said Saddler.

Other returnees include Jalen White, Quinn Strander, and Taylor Blanchard.

One of the newcomers is Jamal West. A 6-foot-6 junior forward, West played previously at South Alabama and Clarendon College. At Clarendon College, he was the Western Junior College Athletic Association Player of the Year, leading his conference in rebounding with 9.8 per game, while also placing in the Top 5 in scoring at 19.3 per outing.

The tallest player on the squad is 6-foot-11 junior Oumar Koureissi. His previous stops include Dodge City Community College and Jacksonville

“Oumar Koureissi has the chance to be really special for us,” Saddler said.

Other newcomers include Diante Smith, Rob Brown, Taj Anderson, Michael Gray, and Doctor Bradley.

Another newcomer, Byron Ireland has been battling a knee injury.

“He will be back really soon. I think the Colonel fans will be excited to see him,” said Saddler.

On offense, Saddler said, the Colonels will feature a quick pace.

“We want to get out and play fast,” the first-year Nicholls coach said. “We want to shoot a lot of 3s, play fast, and share the ball. Play with a lot of interchangeable basketball – a modern NBA style of basketball.”

Defensively, the team will apply pressure, according to Saddler.

“We want to deny passes and make it hard for you. We just want to dictate on the defensive end,” he said.

After opening the season at Tulane on Monday, the Colonels play at LSU next Friday.

Other non-conference opponents include the likes of Mississippi State, Baylor, and Maryland.

“I think our pre-conference schedule is going to get us ready for conference,” said Saddler. “I think we have a Top 15 schedule in the country, but we wouldn’t do it any other way.

“I think at this level, the thing that matters most is January through March. My philosophy for the pre-season schedule is just getting us prepared for January, February, and March, which I think is the most important time of the year if you want to be elite.”

The Southland Conference race figures to be wide open with five of the 10 head coaches being new to the league. In the preseason conference poll, the Colonels were picked sixth.

“Nicholls has won three of the last six championships, so even though they’re new coaches, it’ still the same brand,” said Saddler. “We look to dominate the same way Nicholls has done in the past.

“I’m excited for the conference. I think it’s become a better basketball league. I think the talent has gotten better. I won’t say that the coaches have gotten better because there were a lot of good coaches in the league before. I think the coaches are really good in the league. I’m just excited to see the new brand of Southland basketball.”

The goals for the Colonels, Sadder said, will be lofty from the start.

“The goal is to always win the tournament. We would love to win the regular season. We want to be undefeated at home. We want to lead the league in turnover margin, 3-point differential, and rebounding battles.

“Those are just some of our small goals. Our ultimate goal is to go to the NCAA Tournament. I think that’s what we do it for.”