By: Nicholls State University

HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The Nicholls State University men’s basketball team held a 67-63 advantage at the final media timeout of regulation, but four straight points sparked a 19-7 Sam Houston State run that saw the first-place Bearkats seal an 84-74 overtime victory Wednesday night at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.

The Colonels (11-15, 4-9 SLC) built a 38-34 lead at halftime as graduate transfer Gavin Peppers scored at will with 14 points. Nicholls concluded the final 5:09 of the first half on an 18-4 run that started with a 3-pointer from sophomore Ryghe Lyons and ended with a jumper from sophomore Jeremiah Buford with just three seconds on the clock. Peppers tallied nine points during that stretch, six via the charity stripe.

Both teams had scored 29 points in the second half when Nicholls sophomore Kevin Johnson knocked down a jumper at the 4:02 mark. The Bearkats (18-9, 13-1 SLC) recorded the only two baskets afterwards in regulation as the Colonels’ final five possessions consisted of four misses and a turnover.

SHSU took advantage of seven Nicholls personal fouls in extra time, scoring 10 of its 17 points via free throws. The home side connected on all three of its shot attempts, including a Cameron Delaney 3-pointer at the 2:28 mark. The Colonels produced six more shots but made the same amount of field goals and came away empty on three shots from long range.

Peppers finished with a game-high 21 points. Junior Elvis Harvey collected 10 points and 10 rebounds for his second career double-double. The Bearkats received double-doubles from Kai Mitchell (19 points, 14 rebounds) and Delaney (15 points, 11 rebounds).

Nicholls concludes the regular season with five consecutive home contests, commencing with UCA Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Get your season or single-game tickets now by calling 985-448-4790 or visiting nichollstickets.com. For the latest news on Nicholls men’s basketball, follow the team on Twitter @Nicholls_MBB.