Nicholls pulls away in second half to defeat UIW in tournament opener

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography, Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved

LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA (March 9, 2026)  The No. 7 seeded Nicholls Colonels used a huge second half to defeat the No. 6 seed UIW Cardinals 81–55 on Monday afternoon in the opening round of the 2026 Air Force Reserve Southland Conference Women's Basketball Championships.

The win marks the second straight year the Colonels have earned a first-round victory as the No. 7 seed in the conference tournament.

Nicholls trailed by one point at halftime, 27–26, after a tight first half. Both teams struggled to create separation, and the Cardinals held a small edge heading into the break.

The game changed quickly in the third quarter.

Nicholls came out with strong energy and took control of the game. The Colonels outscored UIW 31–14 in the quarter and shot an impressive 66.7 percent from the field. They were also perfect at the free-throw line, making all 11 attempts during the period. By the end of the third quarter, Nicholls had built a comfortable double-digit lead.

The Colonels kept the momentum going in the fourth quarter. Their lead grew to as many as 26 points as they closed out the game in dominant fashion.

Sh’Diamond McKnight (No. 11, shown above) led Nicholls with a strong all-around performance. She scored 29 points on 9-of-15 shooting and went 10-for-11 from the free-throw line. McKnight also added three assists and three steals.

Anyra Wilson contributed 14 points and three assists, while Jesslynn Jalomo finished with nine points and four rebounds.

Nicholls shot 50 percent from the field and made 21 of its 23 free throws. The Colonels also forced 18 turnovers, turning those mistakes into 26 points.

UIW (13–17) was led by Brynn Lusby with 22 points. Madison Cockrell added 16 points. The Cardinals struggled from long distance, making just two of their 22 three-point attempts.

With the win, Nicholls moves on to face No. 3 seed Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks basketball in the quarterfinals Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN+.