Saddler, new-look Colonels tip off 2023-24 season on road against Tulane Green Wave

After playing against each other for the past few months, the Nicholls men’s basketball team finally gets to take the court when it counts when the Colonels take on the Tulane Green Wave.

The coming-out party for new coach Tevon Saddler, five returnees, and nine transfers will take place at 8 p.m. Monday at Fogelman Arena in the Devlin Fieldhouse in New Orleans.

“I’m excited to play someone new right up the road. I’m looking forward to having a good crowd with us. The guys have been working extremely hard, just excited for 40 minutes against someone different,” Saddler said.

Saddler inherits a Nicholls team that went 16-15 a year ago and opens the season against a Green Wave team that won 20 games last season under coach Ron Hunter.

Hunter is entering his fifth season at Tulane and sports a career record of 477-343 in 25 seasons as a head coach. Prior to taking the job at Tulane, Hunter spent eight years guiding Georgia State University to a 171-95 mark.

“They struggled a lot before Ron Hunter got there,” said Saddler. “I’ve been going against Ron Hunter since his Georgia State days when I was a graduate assistant at South Alabama. I think Ron always does a heck of a job and gets the best out of his players, especially offensively.”

The Greenies return several key players, including 6-foot-5 senior guard Jaylen Forbes.

Forbes is the team’s leading returning scorer, having averaged 18.5 points per game. He also is the second-leading returning rebounder, having averaged 5.0 per outing a year ago.

“He’s a good player. He scores at a high level. He had 18 points per game. That’s a lot of points in college basketball. We have to do a good job of showing him bodies all night,” said Saddler.

Kevin Cross is the team’s top returning rebounder, having averaged 6.7 per contest. The 6-foot-8 senior forward averaged 14.8 points per game a year ago. He’s also the team’s leading returner in assists, averaging 4.2 during the 2022-23 season.

“I think Kevin Cross is a special player because he does so many different things,” Saddler said of the 6-foot-5 senior. “He plays so many different roles for them. We have to do a good job of making sure he has our undivided attention all night.

Also back is Sion James, a 6-foot-6 junior guard who averaged 9.7 points per game a year ago

“Sion is a good player. Sometimes Sion gets lost because you have guys like Cross and Forbes,” said Saddler.

Tulane, Saddler said, is more than just its top couple of players.

“I think Ron has a deep roster. I think they are top-heavy with Cross and Forbes, but I don’t think three through eight is a huge drop off,” said Saddler.

Tough play at the defensive end, Saddler said, will be a key to the Colonels’ chances on Monday night.

“We have to find ways to put consecutive stops together and get out and run. I think we will do a pretty good job guarding them. I think the most important thing is finishing the possession, whether that’s rebounds, 50-50 balls, or whatever the case may be. We will be ready for a fight on Monday.”