Nicholls earns split in Grand Canyon Women’s Basketball Classic after loss to host team

The Nicholls women’s basketball team had its lowest point total in a game this season, being limited to 40 points in a 63-40 loss Saturday in the Grand Canyon Women’s Basketball Classic to the host Antelopes, leaving the Lady Colonels with a split in the tournament.

On Friday, Nicholls opened the tournament with a 63-55 win over Eastern Illinois.

The only time Nicholls led in Saturday’s game against GCU was 1-0 on a Lexi Alexander free throw as the Lady Colonels went on to trail 10-5 after one quarter.

Nicholls (4-3) didn’t reach double-figure scoring as a team until a free throw by Deonna Brister made the score 15-10 in favor of the Antelopes at the 5:28 mark of the second quarter.

Grand Canyon’s biggest lead of the first half was 11 points when a Laura Erikstrup free throw made it 24-13 on its way to a 27-19 lead at halftime.

Nicholls cut the deficit down to five points when Traya Bruce connected on a 3-pointer to open the scoring in the third quarter as the Lady Colonels trailed 27-22.

However, Nicholls would go on to score only seven more points in the quarter.

GCU’s 21-point lead of 50-29 after three quarters represented the Antelopes’ biggest lead to that point in the game.

Nicholls could get no closer than 18 points in the fourth quarter. A 3-pointer by Sydney Erikstrup with 29 seconds left in the game made the final 63-40, with the 23-point margin being the biggest of the game.

Bruce was the only double-figure scorer for Nicholls with 14 points. Brister topped the team with six rebounds.

Laura Erikstrup was the only double-figure scorer for GCU with 14 points. Trinity San Antonio, Shay Fano, and Sydney Erikstrup all had five rebounds each for the Antelopes.

Nicholls was 13 of 50 from the field, shooting 28 percent. The Lady Colonels were 8 of 21 from 3-point distance. Nicholls was 6 of 15 from the three-throw line and had zero second-chance points.

GCU was 20 of 48 from the field, and 8 of 19 from the distance. The Antelopes were 15 of 19 from the free-throw line.

With 41 points, the Antelopes’ bench outscored the entire Nicholls team.

Nicholls 63, Eastern Illinois 55: The Lady Colonels built upon a six-point halftime lead, holding Eastern Illinois scoreless for the final 6:40 of the third quarter on their way to a 63-55 win in the opening game of the tournament.

Macy McGlone hit a jumper to pull Eastern Illinois to within 54-39 but it would be the final points of the third quarter for the Panthers.

Meanwhile, Nicholls stretched its lead. A basket in the paint by Daelyn Craig gave her team a 49-39 lead, the first double-digit lead for the Lady Colonels with 3:23 remaining in the third quarter.

Two free throws by Ashley Malone with 1:39 left in the quarter gave Nicholls a 52-39 lead, with the 13-point margin representing the Lady Colonels’ biggest lead of the game.

Eastern Illinois cut the deficit to five points on several occasions in the fourth quarter as Nicholls went on to take the 63-55 win.

Alexander led Nicholls with 17 points and seven rebounds. Kyla Hamilton tossed in 11 points and Craig 10. Alexander had six steals and Hamilton five as Nicholls produced a total of 18 steals.

McGlore led Eastern Illinois with 14 points and nine rebounds. Ellie Buzzelle chipped in 13 points, and Lalani Ellis 10.

Nicholls had 19 bench points while Eastern Illinois produced only six.

The Lady Colonels spent most of the first quarter rallying back from a quick deficit before eventually trailing by one point after the opening period.

Buzzelle and Ellis each hit a 3-pointer to give Eastern Illinois a quick 6-0 lead. The biggest lead for the Panthers came at seven points at 11-4 after a 3-pointer by Miah Monahan.

Nicholls cut into the deficit, eventually taking a 17-15 lead on a 3-pointer by Malone with 1:03 remaining in the first quarter.

With Nicholls leading by two points, Charita Lewis knocked down a 3-pointer with three seconds remaining to give Eastern Illinois a 20-19 edge heading into the second quarter.

Nicholls was leading by three points in the second quarter before a pair of Lexi Alexander free throws and a 3-pointer by Delgado gave the Lady Colonels a 39-31 lead with 40 seconds left in the first half. The eight-point margin was the largest for either team in the first half as Nicholls went on to lead 39-33 at halftime.