UNION, N.J. – Sophomore Jared Thompson (Scituate, R.I.) led four student-athletes in double figures with 19 points as the Nichols College men's basketball team opened 2015 with an 84-67 win over Kean Saturday afternoon in non-conference action at Harwod Arena.

Thompson canned five triples en route to a career-high in points as the Bison moved to 6-4 on the season. Senior Chris Johnson (Mansfield, Mass.) dropped in a career-high 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting while also snaring 10 rebounds. Junior Gustave Koumare (Harlem, N.Y.) and senior captain Matt Langadas (Sebago, Maine) chipped in with 15 and 12 points, respectively.

Junior Tommy Soulias (Milltown, N.J.) scored a season-high 25 points for the Cougars (3-8) while senior J.J. Hladik (Bayonne, N.J.) netted 13 points and sophomore Lincoln Holley (Easton, Pa.) finished with 12 points and five rebounds.

Nichols outrebounded Kean 39-32 and turned 19 turnovers into 24 points. The Bison also received 41 of their 87 points from the bench, led by Thompson and Johnson, and rattled home 16 of their 19 free throw attempts (84 percent).

The Bison used a relentless press from the start and leapt out to a 17-6 lead. Johnson, Koumare, and Thompson each finished the half with 10 points as Nichols took a 17-point lead (47-30) into the locker room behind a strong shooting half (47 percent). First-year head coach Tom Glynn's press defense caused Kean to commit 11 first-half turnovers while, at the other end of the floor, the Bison outscored the Cougars 18-6 in the paint. Holley led Kean with eight points.  

The Kean defense held Nichols to just 18 points in the first 16 minutes of the second half and, with eight minutes to go, Soulias ripped off six-straight points to bring it within 14 points. Nichols finished the half strong, sinking 7-of-8 from the charity stripe over the final 20 minutes, to secure the victory.

Nichols evened the all-time series with Kean at 1-1 with the win; the Cougars scored an 83-54 win over the Bison in Waltham, Mass. back on January 17, 2001.

Nichols hosts Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) foe Curry Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Kean plays at William Patterson at 6 p.m. Wednesday evening.