Zee Hamoda came off the bench to score a game-high 19 points and knock down three of Nicholls State’s 10 three-pointers, but the Colonels’ struggles continued Tuesday afternoon as New Orleans pulled away for an 80–62 win on Broussard Court inside Stopher Gymnasium.
Nicholls (8–13, 7–5 SLC) trailed by 10 at halftime and was unable to close the gap after the break, dropping its fifth straight contest. The Colonels shot just 36.1 percent from the floor and attempted only eight free throws. While the defense forced 18 turnovers and recorded 12 steals, New Orleans capitalized in the paint, outscoring Nicholls 44–20 inside and holding a commanding 20-rebound advantage.
Hamoda finished 8-of-16 from the field and added seven rebounds, coming off a season-high 20-point performance in the earlier meeting between the teams. Jalik Dunkley contributed 13 points and three steals, and Jaylen Searles chipped in 12 points. Both Dunkley and Searles were limited in the first half after picking up early foul trouble.
New Orleans (8–13, 6–6 SLC) was led by Churchill Abass, who recorded 20 points and eight rebounds. MJ Thomas added 16 points, while Jakevion Buckley scored 14. The Privateers shot 47.4 percent from the field and went 21-for-26 at the free-throw line.
After building a double-digit lead late in the first half, New Orleans opened the second with an extended run to push its advantage to 14. The margin remained in double figures for the entirety of the second half.
The loss snapped Nicholls’ five-game winning streak in the series against the Privateers, who earned their first victory in Thibodaux since 2019.
UP NEXT: Nicholls returns to action Saturday with a road game at East Texas A&M.
