THIBODAUX, La. - Nicholls State trailed by 11 points, 67-56, with 4:38 left in the second half, but fought back to defeat Sam Houston 76-74 in a Southland Conference women's basketball game Wednesday night.
The victory was the Colonels first of the season. Nicholls outscored Sam Houston State 20-to-7 during the final 4:38.
True freshman Portia Washington hit a 15-foot jumper with 30 seconds left to put the Colonels up 73-72.
Sam Houston State, who is now winless in its last 19 tries on the road in conference play, had its opportunities to tie if not win from the free throw line, but made only made 2-of-4 from the strip over the final 30 seconds. After Washington's shot, the Bearkats' Britni Martin made one of two free throws to tie the game at 73.
Then with 15 seconds left, true freshman Nadia Cox ran the floor, breaking through the Bearkat pressure for the go ahead lay-up to give Nicholls the 75-73 advantage. Both teams went on to make one of two free throw opportunities before a last second heave by SHSU's Ray Alexander that fell short to give Nicholls the win.
The Colonels (1-20, 1-9) had four players in double figures, and were led by senior Christie Bryant with 20 points. Bryant also had a game-best nine rebounds.
The Bearkats (7-15, 4-5) also had four players score 10-plus points in the game with Alexander leading SHSU with 15. As a team, the Bearkats shot 39.1 percent (27-of-69) from field goal range, and 18.2 percent (4-of-22) from beyond the arc.
Brittany Brooks scored 13, Bre Agnew has 12 and Britni Martin scored 11 for Sam Houston State.
NICHOLLS COLONELS 76, SAM HOUSTON ST 74
02/11/09 6:30 p.m. at Thibodaux, La. (Stopher Gym)
SAM HOUSTON ST (7-15, 4-5)
Alexander, Ray 6-11 2-3 15; Brooks, Brittany 4-13 4-4 13; Agnew, Bre 5-7 1-3
12; Martin, Britni 3-10 4-6 11; Smith, Whitney 4-10 0-3 8; Gonzales, Lydia
1-4 2-2 4; Hager, Therese 2-5 0-0 4; Livingston, Lucy 1-2 2-2 4; Ailshie,
Leasa 1-7 1-2 3. Totals 27-69 16-25 74.
NICHOLLS COLONELS (1-20, 1-9)
Bryant, Christie 7-15 6-8 20; Jones, Tiffany 6-15 1-3 14; Washington,
Dominiqu 5-10 2-2 13; Cox, Nadia 6-7 0-2 12; Hoskins, Jasmine 3-6 2-6 8;
Douglas, Danielle 2-3 3-5 7; Washington, Portia 1-2 0-0 2; Kefu, Funaki 0-1
0-0 0. Totals 30-59 14-26 76.
Sam Houston St................ 39 35 - 74
Nicholls Colonels............. 34 42 - 76
3-point goals--Sam Houston St 4-22 (Brooks, Brittany 1-3; Martin, Britni
1-8; Alexander, Ray 1-4; Agnew, Bre 1-1; Ailshie, Leasa 0-6), Nicholls
Colonels 2-5 (Jones, Tiffany 1-2; Washington, Dominiqu 1-2; Washington,
Portia 0-1). Fouled out--Sam Houston St-None, Nicholls Colonels-Jones,
Tiffany. Rebounds--Sam Houston St 42 (Smith, Whitney 8), Nicholls Colonels
41 (Bryant, Christie 9). Assists--Sam Houston St 14 (Martin, Britni 3;
Brooks, Brittany 3; Alexander, Ray 3), Nicholls Colonels 18 (Cox, Nadia 5).
Total fouls--Sam Houston St 17, Nicholls Colonels 23. Technical fouls--Sam
Houston St-None, Nicholls Colonels-None. A-280
