NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Privateers and Nicholls Colonels were locked in a fast paced battle early but the Colonels used a hot shooting start to the second half to pull away to a 90-77 decision on Saturday at Lakefront Arena.
A high octane first half featured 90 combined points as the Privateers shot 58 percent from the field while Nicholls shot 47 percent from the floor. There were also 16 combined three-pointers.
There were six lead changes in the first half and neither team led by more than seven points in the opening 20 minutes. Nicholls led 45-38 with 1:40 left in the half but the Privateers responded with five quick points on a
Coleton Benson jumper and an
Irish Coquia three. The Colonels closed the first half scoring with a buzzer beating jumper by Zee Hamoda.
Nicholls hit a hot stretch in the second half that helped them gain a lead of 19 points. They hit eight consecutive field goals from the 16:53 mark of the second half to the 11:50 mark. By the time the run stopped, the Colonels led 74-55.
The Colonels shot 50 percent in the second half and wound up making 17 three-pointers on the evening. They also had 19 assists to just seven turnovers.
Jaylen Searles finished with a team-high 24 points, 17 of those coming in the second half. Hamoda added 20 points and Trae English had seven points and seven assists.
INSIDE THE BOX
Benson finished with 26 points, 22 of those coming in the first half.
TJ Cope and
MJ Thomas each had 12 points. The Privateers out-rebounded Nicholls 37-23 on the game. Coquia finished with nine points.
NEXT UP
The Privateers will travel to Hammond to face Southeastern on Monday night at 6 p.m.
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