WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – After a hard-fought battle with a top-tier UCLA squad, the Nicholls State University men's basketball team will travel to North Carolina for an equally-challenging matchup against Wake Forest at 6 p.m. central time on Monday, Nov. 24 at the LJVM Coliseum Complex.
 
The Colonels (0-2) got off to a slow start on Thursday against the Bruins, but put together an inspired second-half performance as UCLA outscored the Colonels by just two points, 47-45, in the final 20 minutes.
 
The Demon Deacons (2-2) opened the season with two decisive victories over UNC-Ashville, 80-69, and Tulane 71-49, but have dropped their last two contests to Arkansas, 83-53, and Iona 85-51.
 
The meeting between Nicholls and Wake Forest will be the first in the history of the two programs.
 
Nicholls is averaging 65.5 points per game while allowing 89 over the first two ballgames this season. The Colonels are shooting 38.3 percent from the field and 27.5 percent from beyond the arc, while allowing 46.3 percent from the field and 37.5 from the three-point line. Despite the gap in points and shooting percentage, Nicholls has played exceptionally well in the second half of both contests this year, and is coming off of its most promising performance of the young season in the second period against UCLA.
 
The most glaring disparities for the Colonels have come at the free throw line and on the boards. Nicholls has taken just 30 free throws through two games while giving up 73, and has been outrebounded 105-67. Despite dropping their last two games, the Demon Deacons own a 15.8 advantage in rebounds per contest. The Colonels will have to keep the rebounding battle close in order to put themselves in position for a win on Monday. Nicholls will also look to take advantage of miscues from a turnover-prone Wake Forest squad that is averaging nearly 20 turnovers per game and has surrendered 43 steals while earning only 23 on the defensive end.
 
Amin Torres leads the Colonels offensively with 14.5 points per game and is shooting 53.8 percent from three-point land. T.J. Carpenter paces the squad with 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, both team-highs, while Liam Thomas has contributed two blocks per contest to lead Nicholls. Richie Lewis has a 3.5 steals-per-game average, while earning 7.5 points and 2.5 assists per game. Ja'Dante' Frye is second on the team in scoring, with 11 points per game and shoots 55 percent from the floor to lead the Colonels.
 
Devin Thomas heads up the offensive attack for the Demon Deacons, scoring 17.3 points per game while shooting 57.5 percent, and also paces the team in rebounds with a 13.3 average. Madison Jones averages 2.3 assists to lead the squad. Codi Miller-McIntyre is second on the team in scoring with an 11.3 average and Dinos Mitoglou is second on the team in rebounds, grabbing 6.5 per contest.
 
Nicholls clashes with Wake Forest on Monday before flying to Ann Arbor for a matchup with the University of Michigan at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 29.
 
Monday's contest will be broadcast live on KQKI 95.3 FM and can also be viewed on ESPN3 in America as well as Australia.
 
Visit geauxcolonels.com for live stats and the most up-to-date information on Nicholls men's basketball.