Box Score

HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana women's basketball team was unable to overcome 26 turnovers and a balanced Nicholls attack in a 62-50 Southland Conference loss Saturday afternoon at the University Center.

The loss was the first at home for Southeastern (9-7, 1-3 Southland), falling to 6-1 in the confines of the University Center. Nicholls (6-12, 1-4 Southland) snapped a six-game losing streak with four players scoring in double figures.

Junior guard Kelli Jenkins led Southeastern with 11 points, while senior forward Rashima Jenkins chipped in with 10. With her two assists, Kelli Jenkins moved into a tie with former Lady Lion Martha Lee for seventh place in school history with 278 career assists.

Senior guard Chelsea Hix, who finished with eight points, also moved up on one of the program's career list. With one trey on Saturday, the Canton, Ga. native moved into a tie for second place with former Southeastern player Shanna Achord with 139 career three-point field goals.

Southeastern once again dominated the boards, out-rebounding Nicholls, 46-29, and will continue to lead the league in rebounding margin. Senior center Rachel Mackie pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds, while Rashima Jenkins grabbed eight. Kelli Jenkins and senior guard Mary Fountain added six rebounds apiece. Freshman forward Aja Gibson led the Lady Lions with four assists.

In addition to the rebounding advantage, Southeastern finished with a higher field goal percentage and higher free throw percentage. However, Nicholls countered by scoring 24 points off Lady Lion turnovers and hitting six three-point field goals to Southeastern's one.

Nicholls State freshman guard KK Babin and freshman forward LiAnn McCarthy scored 15 points apiece to the lead the Lady Colonels. Senior guard Ricshanda Bickham added 14 points, while sophomore forward Alisha Allen tallied 10.

Bickham and junior guard Sumar Leslie dished out a game-high five assists each for Nicholls. Allen led the Lady Colonels with six rebounds, while Leslie and junior guard Portia Washington were credited with three steals apiece.

Southeastern trailed by seven at halftime, but came out with a 17-6 run to open the second half. A basket by junior guard Latoria Holder gave the Lady Lions a 42-40 lead with 11:26 remaining.

Nicholls came back to score the next six points to take a four-point lead. However, Southeastern cut the lead to one on a put back by Rashima Jenkins with just under five minutes remaining.

From that point forward, it was all Nicholls. Allen scored eight points in a game-ending 15-2 run in which Southeastern committed five turnovers. The Lady Colonels' victory over Southeastern is their first in the past six meetings between the two schools and their first in Hammond since the 1998-99 season.

Southeastern will return to the University Center on Wednesday at 7 p.m., hosting Central Arkansas. Junior guard Gabrielle George will be Wednesday's Spotlight Player of the Game and the first 100 fans will receive a trading card featuring the Cedar Hill, Texas native courtesy of the Southeastern PRIDE.

Wednesday's game will be streamed live by the Southeastern Channel (Charter Channel 18) and will air on a tape-delayed basis the following night. The game can also be heard on the Internet only at www.LionSports.net, where live stats will also be available.