# 2022–23 Nicholls Colonels men's basketball team

The 2022–23 Nicholls State Colonels men's basketball team represented Nicholls State University in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Colonels, led by fifth-year head coach Austin Claunch, played their home games at Stopher Gymnasium in Thibodaux, Louisiana as members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 16–15, 11–7 in Southland play, to finish in fourth place.

## Previous season

The Colonels finished the 2021–22 season 21–12, 11–3 in Southland play, to finish as regular-season champions. They lost in the semifinals of the Southland tournament to Texas A&M–Corpus Christi. As a No. 1 seed who failed to win their conference tournament, they received an automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament where they lost in the first round to SMU.

## Preseason
### Southland Conference poll

The Southland Conference released its preseason poll on October 25, 2022. The Colonels were picked to finish second in the conference.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | 149 (11) |
| 2 | Nicholls | 137 (6) |
| 3 | New Orleans | 129 (2) |
| 4 | Southeastern | 105 |
| 5 | McNeese | 97 |
| 6 | Northwestern State | 92 |
| 7 | Texas A&M–Commerce | 56 |
| 8 | Houston Christian | 55 (1) |
| 9 | Lamar | 44 |
| 10 | Incarnate Word | 36 |

### Preseason All-Conference

Guard Latrell Jones was named to the conference's preseason first team. Forward Manny Littles and guard Pierce Spencer were named to the conference's second team.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Non-conference regular season ||||||
| November 7, 2022* 8:30 p.m., P12N | | at No. 17 Arizona | L 75–117 | 0–1 | McKale Center (12,635) Tucson, AZ |
| November 10, 2022* 9:00 p.m., MW Network | | at Wyoming | L 68–79 | 0–2 | Arena-Auditorium (4,498) Laramie, WY |
| November 13, 2022* 3:00 p.m. | | Carver | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Stopher Gymnasium Thibodaux, LA |
| November 19, 2022* 8:00 p.m., BYU TV | | at BYU | L 73–87 | 0–3 | Marriott Center (13,745) Provo, UT |
| November 22, 2022* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Jarvis Christian | W 97–52 | 1–3 | Stopher Gymnasium (605) Thibodaux, LA |
| November 25, 2022* 6:00 p.m., FloHoops | | vs. UC Irvine Las Vegas Holiday Challenge | L 56–83 | 1–4 | Orleans Arena Las Vegas, NV |
| November 26, 2022* 6:00 p.m., FloHoops | | vs. UC San Diego Las Vegas Holiday Challenge | W 72–70 | 2–4 | Orleans Arena Las Vegas, NV |
| November 29, 2022* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Champion Christian | W 115–50 | 3–4 | Stopher Gymnasium (333) Thibodaux, LA |
| December 7, 2022* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Texas Tech | L 71–78 | 3–5 | United Supermarkets Arena (12,682) Lubbock, TX |
| December 11, 2022* 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Rust College | W 85–65 | 4–5 | Stopher Gymnasium (450) Thibodaux, LA |
| December 15, 2022* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Southeastern | W 88–73 | 5–5 (1–0) | Stopher Gymnasium (685) Thibodaux, LA |
| December 17, 2022* 2:00 p.m., SECN | | No. 17 Mississippi State | L 66–68 | 5–6 | Humphrey Coliseum (6,023) Starkville, MS |
| December 19, 2022* 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Trinity Baptist | W 90–46 | 6–6 | Stopher Gymnasium (421) Thibodaux, LA |
| December 28, 2022* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at No. 12 Baylor | L 56–85 | 6–7 | Ferrell Center (8,577) Waco, TX |
| Southland regular season ||||||
| January 5, 2023 8:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Texas A&M–Commerce | W 66–63 | 7–7 (2–0) | The Field House (246) Commerce, TX |
| January 7, 2023 3:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | Northwestern State | L 48–68 | 7–8 (2–1) | Prather Coliseum (1,412) Natchitoches, LA |
| January 12, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Lamar | L 66-69 | 7–9 (2–2) | Montagne Center (1,613) Beaumont, TX |
| January 14, 2023 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Northwestern State | W 77–63 | 8–9 (3–2) | Stopher Gymnasium (611) Thibodaux, LA |
| January 19, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | McNeese | W 73–64 | 9–9 (4–2) | Stopher Gymnasium (1,522) Thibodaux, LA |
| January 21, 2023 3:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | McNeese | W 71–68 | 10–9 (5–2) | The Legacy Center (2,337) Lake Charles, LA |
| January 26, 2023 7:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | L 86–96 | 10–10 (5–3) | American Bank Center (1,519) Corpus Christi, TX |
| January 28, 2023 4:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Incarnate Word | L 67–69 | 10–11 (5–4) | McDermott Center (384) San Antonio, TX |
| February 2, 2023 7:00 p.m. | | Texas A&M–Commerce | Game postponed until February 20 due to icy weather conditions in Texas | Game postponed until February 20 due to icy weather conditions in Texas | Stopher Gymnasium Thibodaux, LA |
| February 4, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Houston Christian | W 92–91 | 11–11 (6–4) | Sharp Gymnasium (771) Houston, TX |
| February 9, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | New Orleans | W 84–59 | 12–11 (7–4) | Stopher Gymnasium (623) Thibodaux, LA |
| February 11, 2023 3:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Southeastern | W 88–77 | 13–11 (8–4) | University Center (447) Hammond, LA |
| February 16, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | L 74–78 | 13–12 (8–5) | Stopher Gymnasium (688) Thibodaux, LA |
| February 18, 2023 3:00 p.m., ESPN3 | | Incarnate Word | W 84–74 | 14–12 (9–5) | Stopher Gymnasium (544) Thibodaux, LA |
| February 20, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Texas A&M–Commerce | L 71–72 | 14–13 (9–6) | Stopher Gymnasium (611) Thibodaux, LA |
| February 23, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at New Orleans | L 82–88 | 14–14 (9–7) | Lakefront Arena (1,137) New Orleans, LA |
| February 25, 2023 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Houston Christian | W 68–64 | 15–14 (10–7) | Stopher Gymnasium (521) Thibodaux, LA |
| March 1, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Lamar | W 64–60 | 16–14 (11–7) | Stopher Gymnasium (543) Thibodaux, LA |
| Southland tournament ||||||
| March 6, 2023 5:00 p.m., ESPN+ | (4) | vs. (8) McNeese Second round | L 71–77 | 16–15 | The Legacy Center Lake Charles, LA |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central. ||||||
Sources: