DUDLEY, Mass. (12/2/23) -  In a game that saw five lead changes, the Nichols College men's basketball team made it four in a row on Saturday afternoon with an 84-67 win over Curry College in their 2023-24 Commonwealth Coast Conference opener at the Nichols Athletic Center.

The fourth consecutive win boosts the Bison to a 6-1 (1-0 CCC) overall record, while Curry drops to 5-2 with the loss.  

A balanced team effort was the difference maker for the Bison, beginning with 18-point performances from senior guard Tavon Jones and junior forward Deshaun Nettles. Jones came up just shy of the double-double with nine rebounds, along with a team-best seven helpers, while Nettles hauled in six rebounds. Three other Bison scored in double-figures, including season-high outings for freshman Simon Percy and Jason Ofcarcik, who each scored 13 and 11 respectively. The Bison had one of their best nights on the floor, knocking down 32-of-63 (50.8%) from the field with 9-of-24 (37.5%) success from the three, 11-of-16 (66.7%) from free throws, and 33 points off the bench.

Right from the get-go, the game was bound to be a battle. With over five minutes gone in the opening half Curry held a five-point lead at 15-10, before the two teams traded buckets eight times on the next nine drives to make it a 23-19 Curry lead. However, as both sides jockeyed for consistent momentum, the Colonels eventually struck pay-dirt with an 11-2 run to make it a 14-point difference at 40-26. Despite this, the Bison gave the Colonels a taste of their own medicine in the final stages of the half and pulled to within five points off their own 11-2 run. The score held at 42-37 Curry entering the intermission.

Nichols took the lead for good at the 12:30 mark of the second half on a Simon Percy three-pointer from the corner, which was quickly followed up with an and-one layup by Nettles. Over the course of the next five and a half minutes, the Bison outscored the Colonels by an 11-4 margin, seemingly taking complete control over the outcome. The rest of the way, it was al about game management for the hosts, who matched Curry every step of the way to ensure their lead preserved. In the final moments, a final dunk by Percy with 1:11 left to play brought the crowd to its feet, which sent the Bison off the court at the final buzzer with a 84-67 win.

Nichols is back in action on Tuesday, December 5^th when it hosts Western New England University (5-3, 1-1 CCC) in a 2022-23 Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship rematch. Tip-off time is set for 7:30 PM from the Nichols Athletic Center.