Nicholls, Texas State Drop Games on Tuesday
Houston 92, Nicholls 60
HOUSTON, Texas - Nicholls freshman forward Phillip Ward and sophomore guard Fred Hunter both scored in double digits, but it wasn't enough to help the Colonels overcome foul trouble, turnovers and a high-powered Houston offense in a 92-60 loss to the Cougars at Hofheinz Pavilion.
The Colonels (0-2) were led by 24 points from Hunter, his fifth career 20-point game, and 14 points from Ward, his first career double-digit contest. However, the Cougars got a game-high 33 points from preseason first-team All-Conference USA honoree Aubrey Coleman. Nicholls committed 23 fouls and 21 turnovers making it difficult to get it going in their second of eight consecutive road games.
For the second time in as many games, the Colonels struck first. Nicholls put together a 7-0 run to open the contest as junior guard Kellan Carter found Hunter on a backdoor cut for an easy lay in. The Colonels then stifled Houston's next two possessions with a pair of steals. Nicholls converted on both turnovers with two straight fast break layups. Sophomore guard Fred Hunter was fouled on the second and sank a free throw for a 7-0 lead.
However, Houston responded by taking advantage of seven Colonel fouls in the first six minutes to go on an 12-2 run and take a 12-9 lead with 14 minutes left in the first. After Nicholls briefly tied the game at 12-12, the Cougars put together a 13-0 run to claim a 25-12 lead with 7:30 left in the opening period.
Nicholls would try to battle back, as the Colonels were outscored by just two points (12-10) over the final seven and a half minutes of the half.
Unfortunately, the Colonels would go on to commit 13 first-half fouls, allowing the Cougars to go 8-13 from the free-throw line in the opening half. Houston also forced 11 turnovers in the first half to keep Nicholls at bay and take a 37-22 lead into the half.
Houston shot 46.2 percent (12-for-26) from the field while limiting Nicholls to 8-for-25 shooting (32.0 percent) and out-rebounded the Colonels 22-16 in the first half.
Nicholls regrouped at halftime and came out strong to start the half with an 8-0 run to pull to within 37-30 with just under 18 minutes left.
However, once again, the Cougars responded with another big run of their own. After the Colonels cut the deficit to seven, Houston went on an 18-7 run to claim an 18-point lead at 55-37 with less than 13 minutes left.
The Cougars would continue to outpace Nicholls the rest of the way en route to the 92-60 victory.
Nicholls will return to action when the Colonels embark on a six-game, two-tournament road trip that will see them visit the Basketball Travelers World Vision Classic in Albuquerque, N.M. and the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage.
Nicholls will face the University of New Mexico Lobos Friday with tipoff scheduled for 9:15 p.m., CST, at The Pit in Albuquerque, N.M.
Cal State Northridge 85, Texas State 82
TEMPE, Ariz. - Despite having five players score in double figures and holding a 23-rebounding advantage, Texas State could not overcome some costly turnovers and a cold shooting touch down the stretch as Cal State Northridge edged past the Bobcats, 85-82, in a consolation game of the NIT Tipoff's West Regional.
Emmanuel Bidias A' Moute came off the bench to lead the Bobcats with 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Uriel Segura and J.B. Conley added 12 points each. Dylan Hale also scored 11 and Cameron Johnson netted 10 points and game-high nine rebounds for the Bobcats. John Rybak also came off the bench for the first time this year and hit three straight three-point field goals midway in the second half and finished with nine points.
Kenny Daniels led Cal State Northridge with 27 points, while Willie Galick added 13 points and Raymond Cody finished with 12.
Texas State opened the game slowly as Cal State Northridge opened the game with an 18-8 lead in the first five minutes of the game. But, Emmanuel Bidias A' Moute scored seven points to lead a 9-3 rally to pull Texas State to within one at 20-19.
The two teams fought back and forth until the final two minutes in the half when Uriel Segura scored four straight free throws to give Texas State its first lead at 43-41 with 2:16 left in the opening period.
After Vinnie McGhee scored on a jumper in the paint, Dylan Hale nailed a three-point basket from the right wing and Segura added two more free throws to give the Bobcats a five-point advantage at 48-43.
After Raymond Cody nailed a three-point basket to pull Northridge back to within three, Hale hit another three-point shot and Segura added two more free throws to give the Bobcats a 51-46 advantage at halftime.
In the second half, Texas State opened up a 72-64 lead with just over nine minutes to play, but Northridge rallied back into the game when the Bobcats made just eight of their 16 free throws, missed five of their six shots from the field and committed seven turnovers in the final 10 minutes of the game.
Despite all of the miscues, the Bobcats still had a chance to win the game in the final seconds, but 41 seconds and Northridge leading 83-81. But, Cameron Johnson missed a fall-away jump shot and John Bowman made just one of his two free throws before Galick and Mark Hill combined to hit three of their six free throws for the Matadors to seal the victory for Northridge.
The Bobcats finished the game with 30 turnovers that led to a 33-17 point advantage in points off turnovers.
The loss drops Texas State's record to 1-2 this season and the Bobcats travel to New Orleans this Saturday for a non-conference game that tips off at 2 p.m.