Nicholls women rally but eventually fall to SLU in Southland Conference home opener

The final score may have been 66-56 in favor of Southeastern Louisiana University, but if Thursday night’s game at Stopher Gym in Thibodaux was a measuring-stick game for Nicholls, the Lady Colonels may have found out the stick is not a long one.

Nicholls fell to 6-7 overall in the Southland Conference opener, but the Lady Colonels, who won only five games a year ago, rallied back from a halftime deficit to pull ahead of the league’s defending champion Lady Lions before fading in the fourth quarter.

“We feel like we can go and play with anybody,” first-year Nicholls coach Justin Payne said. “I think we showed that in the non-conference you know we had to kind of redefine ourselves after losing Ashley Malone (to a season-ending injury).” But I love the way our girls are coming together. They’re playing hard for one another.”

“I think we can play with anybody and beat anybody,” echoed Nicholls guard Kyla Hamilton. “It shows tonight we were up at one point coming back from 11 points and then we took the lead. I think we just have to be able to stay playing together a full game and not have those little letdowns.”

Hamilton was a key factor in the Lady Colonels’ third-quarter rally after Nicholls fell behind by as many as 14 points.

Nicholls stepped up its defensive aggressiveness to create quick points on the offensive end.

A steal by Hamilton led to the guard’s pass to Lexi Alexander on a fast-break opportunity. Alexander missed her shot when she was fouled on the play but hit her two free throws to make it 38-30.

The Lady Lions turned the ball over on their next possession, setting up a 3-pointer by Mikayla Etienne. Hamilton came up with another steal, this one in the SLU backcourt, and knocked down a 3-pointer of her own, making the score 38-36.

Moments later, Hamilton hit two free throws to give the Lady Colonels a 41-40 lead at the 3:32 mark of the third quarter.

Hamilton scored five of her 12 points during the rally, along with coming up with two of her three steals, and one of her three assists.

Nicholls increased its lead to as many as three points in the period before the game headed into the fourth quarter tied 47-47.

“I think we just finally clicked. All game we had a few turnovers here and there. Finally we found it. We were starting to play together. We were all on the same page. So I think it all finally came together,” said Hamilton.

“I felt like we hit some big shots in that third. We just couldn’t keep the lead. Now we’ve got to work on keeping that lead,” Payne said.

After rallying back in the third, the Lady Colonels couldn’t keep the momentum in the fourth quarter. Nicholls shot 6 of 10 (60 percent) from the field in the third quarter to get back in the game but was only 1 of 8 (12 percent) in the final quarter.

Two Britiya Curtis free throws to open the fourth quarter gave Nicholls its last lead of the night at 49-47.

A jumper by Taylor Bell and two Bell free throws put the Lady Lions on top 51-49 and gave SLU a lead it would not relinquish.

It was part of a 13-1 run that gave Southeastern a 10-point lead at 60-50 with 3:21 left in the game. Bell, who scored 12 points, came up with six during the spree.

Nicholls fell behind by 12 down the stretch before eventually falling 66-56.

Mistakes, said Hamilton, cost the Lady Colonels in the fourth quarter.

“I don’t think it was really the shots with the fatigue. I think it was the turnovers. We had a couple back-to-back that they took the lead and they kind of kept it. Without those turnovers, we wouldn’t have been in that position,” said Hamilton.

“We had a big third quarter. We needed another big fourth quarter where we fell short. Turnovers were an issue as well,” said Payne, whose team committed 16 turnovers. “We will grow and get better. I’m pleased with our first game.

“We just have to make sure we keep their heads high so now we can go on the road and actually finish. I’m excited about this team.”

Etienne and Alexander each had 16 points for Nicholls. Daelyn Craig had a game-high 10 rebounds.

SLU, which improved to 5-7 with the Southland-opening win, was led by Cheyanne Daniels with 20 points and eight rebounds. Jalencia Pierre added 12 points for the Lady Lions.

Nicholls had some good looks at the basket in the first quarter, but shots were not falling, yet the Lady Colonels trailed only 15-12 after one quarter. Each team enjoyed leads of four points in the period.

A quick start by the Lady Lions in the second quarter allowed SLU to stretch its lead.

A jumper by Pierre and a layup by Daniels gave Southeastern a seven-point edge at 19-12 less than a minute into the second quarter.

The biggest lead for SLU came at 15 points on a free throw by Arriana Patton to make the score 33-18 on the Lady Lions’ way to a 33-22 lead at halftime.