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What to know about Nicholls women's basketball before the Colonels' 2023-2024 season

mikey dilullo, houma courier-thibodaux daily comet
·2 min read

Nicholls women's basketball tips off the 2023-24 season this Monday as the Colonels host North American University. From a new face on the bench to the only All-SLC performer on this year's squad, here's everything you need to know about the 2023-24 Nicholls women's basketball season:

New coach

After 15 seasons, DoBee Plaisance stepped down as the Colonels' head coach in March. Her replacement, though, is a familiar face.

Nicholls women lost to UNO 72-67 in Southland Conference basketball play in Thibodaux on March 5.
Nicholls women lost to UNO 72-67 in Southland Conference basketball play in Thibodaux on March 5.

Justin Payne was hired by Nicholls after spending four seasons as the head coach at Division II Georgia Southwestern. Previously, he played four years for the Colonels' men's team and spent eight seasons as an assistant for the Nicholls women.

New faces

Alongside Payne, four freshmen joined Nicholls this season. Guards Marypaz Martinez, Betzalys Delgado, and Britiya Curtis, alongside forward Adyson James, lead the first-year players.

Two transfers also joined the Colonels this year, with forwards Daelyn Craig, who followed Payne from Georgia Southwestern, and Violette Skipworth, who spent two seasons at Florida Southwestern State.

More Nicholls sports: Nicholls football upsets Incarnate Word, in driver's seat for Southland championship

Expectations

Nicholls doesn't have high expectations this season, to say the least. The Colonels were voted to finish last in the 10-team Southland Conference this season, the same spot where they finished each of the last two years.

All-SLC

Forward Lexi Alexander was Nicholls' only representative on the preseason All-SLC team. Last season, Alexander averaged 13.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game as she was named the conference's Freshman of the Year.

More Nicholls sports: Nicholls football dominates defensively, topples Texas A&M-Commerce on the road

The schedule

Nov. 6: vs. North American

Nov. 8: @ Tulane

Nov. 10: vs. SUNO

Nov. 14: @ SMU

Nov. 18: @ Tulane

Nov. 24: vs. Eastern Illinois (Phoenix)

Nov. 25: vs. Grand Canyon (Phoenix)

Nov. 28: vs. Dillard

Nov. 30: @ Alcorn

Dec. 4: @ South Alabama

Dec. 9: vs. UAB

Dec. 20: @ Grambling

Jan. 4: vs. Southeastern Louisiana*

Jan. 6: @ Houston Christian*

Jan. 11: vs. New Orleans*

Jan. 13: vs. Lamar*

Jan. 18: @ Incarnate Word*

Jan. 20: @ Texas A&M-Corpus Christi*

Jan. 27: @ Texas A&M-Commerce

Feb. 1: vs. Northwestern State*

Feb. 3: vs. Houston Christian*

Feb. 8: vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi*

Feb. 10: @ Lamar*

Feb. 15: @ New Orleans*

Feb. 17: vs. McNeese*

Feb. 22: vs. Incarnate Word*

Feb. 24: vs. Texas A&M-Commerce*

Feb. 29: @ Northwestern State*

March 2: @ McNeese*

March 6: @ Southeastern Louisiana*

*Southland Conference game

This article originally appeared on The Courier: What to know about Nicholls women's hoops before the 2023-24 season