AMES, Iowa — Nicholls State women’s basketball fell to Iowa State 68–44 on Thursday night at Hilton Coliseum. The Colonels struggled to find their shooting touch as the Cyclones controlled the paint.
The Colonels (1–1) battled through long, frustrating stretches offensively, finishing the night shooting just 25 percent (15-of-60) from the floor and 20 percent (3-of-15) from beyond the arc. The starkest differential came in the paint, where the Cyclones leveraged their significant height advantage to outscore Nicholls 46–14 inside.
Britiya Curtis Leads Nicholls State Against Iowa State
Sophomore guard Britiya Curtis put on a resilient display for the Colonels, playing all 40 minutes of the contest against a relentless Iowa State defense. Curtis led the Nicholls attack with a team-high 17 points and nearly secured a double-double, fighting for 9 rebounds.
Despite her tireless effort, open looks were incredibly hard to come by. The Cyclones consistently sent extra defenders her way, forcing Curtis into a tough 5-of-17 shooting performance from the field, though she managed to keep the scoreboard moving by going 6-of-7 from the free-throw line.
Junior guard Jasmine Matthews joined Curtis in double figures, contributing 10 points and 3 rebounds, but also found herself swarmed by Iowa State length, finishing 3-of-15 on the night.
Iowa State Builds Halftime Lead as Foul Trouble Mounts
Nicholls kept the game within striking distance through the opening ten minutes, trailing 18–13 at the end of the first quarter thanks to a gritty defensive effort. However, the Colonels’ offense stalled out in the second frame. Iowa State went on a scoring surge to close the half, outscoring Nicholls 18–10 in the period and sending the Colonels into the locker room facing a 36–23 halftime deficit.
Compounding the offensive struggles was a whistle-heavy evening that decimated the Colonels’ frontcourt depth. The physical battle down low caught up to Nicholls, as both senior forward DeNae Connally and sophomore forward Khia Lawrence fouled out, limiting the team’s ability to counter Iowa State freshman Tjaša Turnšek, who racked up an 18-point, 13-rebound double-double.
Third-Quarter Rally Falls Short
The Colonels showed plenty of fight coming out of the halftime break. Matthews ignited a quick 5–0 run with a jump shot, followed by a layup and a free throw from Curtis, suddenly cutting the Cyclone lead down to single digits at 36–28 with 7:51 left in the third quarter.
That would be as close as Nicholls would get. Iowa State immediately answered with a 9–0 run of their own, utilizing an offensive rebound and an open three-pointer to kill the Colonels’ momentum. Nicholls would manage only one more field goal in the remaining minutes of the quarter.
By the fourth, the wear and tear of a short rotation began to show, as Iowa State’s bench hit consecutive deep three-pointers to push the final margin to 24.
Next Up: Nicholls State Visits South Alabama
The Colonels will wrap up their challenging season-opening road trip on Tuesday, November 10, when they travel to face South Alabama. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Photos by Corey Perrillioux