THIBODAUX – After dropping the season opener to the LSU Tigers, the Nicholls men’s basketball team will continue its trek across South Louisiana taking on the Tulane Green Wave in New Orleans Tuesday night. Nicholls is looking to defeat the Green Wave for the second straight year after defeating them last year in Thibodaux. The Colonels fought the Tigers hard early, taking the lead during stretches in the first 12 minutes of the game. The Colonels trailed by ten at two different points of the game thanks to some solid shooting, but a 19-5 run by the Tigers late in the game was enough for the Purple and Gold to take the win.

Against the Green Wave

Nicholls defeated the Tulane Green Wave for the first time in school history at home 66-52 last year. The Colonels are 1-18 all time against the Olive Green and Sky Blue.

Lewis leading the way

Freshman Trevon Lewis scored 19 points to lead all scorers against LSU in his first game as a Colonel. The Houma native hit his first six shots in the game and finished going 7-of-8 from the field and 2-of-2 from the behind the three point line. For his efforts he earned honorable mention in Southland Player of the Week voting. Missing its top two scorers from last year, the Colonels had three total players in double figures with Chris Talkington’s 13 points and Lachlan Prest’s 12.

Shooting stars

Against the Tigers, the Colonels, who were only a 44-percent shooting team from the field and a 33-percent shooting team from the three-point line, the Colonels might prove to be a dangerous team from the perimeter finishing the game shooting 51-percent. As a team they also shot 48-percent from beyond the arc, hitting eight of their 13 made three’s in the first half.

Youth will be served

With the graduation of four seniors from last year’s team, including 2011 Louisiana Player of the Year Anatoly Bose, the Colonels will rely on just one senior (Ben Martin) to lead this year’s squad. There are a total of seven newcomers that dot the lineup, including four freshmen (Lachlan Prest, Sam McBeath, Shane Rillieux, Trevon Lewis), two transfers (Pedro Maciel, Linden Smith-Hyde) and one walk-on (Zach West). The only returning players with significant playing time are Bryan Hammond and Dantrell Thomas who each saw playing time in all 28 games last year.

Hunter to sit out season to rehab

Nicholls’ second leading scorer from last year, Fred Hunter, will sit out the 2011-12 season while he continues to rehab after suffering a season-ending knee injury 20 games into the season. Averaging over 15 points per game, the Colonels will need a combined effort to make up for the loss of production.