DUDLEY, Mass. (11/18/2024) - The Nichols College men's basketball team defended its home court in a thrilling matchup against Clark University Monday evening, securing an 81-74 victory in non-conference play.  

The Bison improve to 2-2 overall on the season, while the Cougars drop to 1-2.  

The Bison saw another strong offensive performance out of junior Javen Flowers-Smith, who delivered 20 points on the night to lead the way. Dominic Mello contributed 15 points and pulled down 6 rebounds, while Darell Hardge added 14 points to round out the key contributors. As a team, the Bison shot 27-of-55 (49.1%) from the field, which has been their best single-game performance this season.  

Both teams came out energized and ready to compete, but the Bison set the tone early, jumping to a commanding 42-27 lead by halftime. Their first-half dominance was fueled by strong offensive execution and a stifling defense that left the Cougars struggling to find their rhythm, with Nichols out-shooting Clark 53.7 percent to 40.0 percent. Nichols claimed its largest lead of 17 points late in the half on a Flowers-Smith layup at 00:31, just before Clark tipped in one final basket to send both teams to the locker rooms.  

However, the Cougars came back from the break swinging, determined to mount a comeback. Throughout the half, they outscored the Bison by a 47-39 margin, showcasing their own resilience and tenacity. Nichols, who had seen their lead diminished to just three points with 4:14 to play, showcased some of their own resilience with crucial plays down the stretch, which included back-to-back scoring drives from Flowers-Smith with under 1:30 left in the half, restoring their lead to nine points at 75-66. Nichols would escape with the win by way of free throws.  

Men's Basketball will have a long pause before their next matchup on Monday, November 25th, where they will face off for a 7:30 PM tip-off against The University of Saint Joesph (1-1).