Nicholls State University - La Pirogue Yearbook (Thibodaux, LA)

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Cuenca QPMFM5 ,.- Straining over the noise of the crowd, Coach Don Landnf and Assistant Coach Jerry Sanders urge the team to hold its one point lead over Southeastern Louisi- ana. The Colonels won 68-65. Although injured during the season and seeing limited action, Russell Menard came oft the bench to contribute six points in the GSC title game. George Par- ker, Billy Fowler and Terry Fields raise Menard tor his turn at cutting the net.

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C 9 cn E C C Q2 ci. Forward Richard Polk leads the charge to midcourt and the Nic- holls basket after taking down a rebound against Whitworth Col- lege. by Brent Madere A season to remember. That's how the stu- dents and fans will think of the 1975-76 Nic- holls basketball season. It was a year full of ond in the NCAA and seventh in the AP. The fans came to see the Colonels Big Three, center Shelby Hypolite and forwards Richard Polk and Larry Wilson. The three, as well as the other players, came through with 4 i l I I. 1 J -2 . 4 excitement, tension and hard work, but it paid clutch performances throughout the season as off as Coach Don Landry's team won the Gulf Hypolite was named the GSC's Most Valuable Sl South Conference championship and the Player. Polk made the conference's first team 1 NCAA South Central Regional championship and Wilson,the second team. Ll before losing out in the quarterfinals. All three also made the NCAA South Central Nicholls finished with a 22-4 record, the best Regional team when the Colonels defeated it in the university's history, while playing in front Missouri-Rolla and Grambling in Thibodaux to , I of house-packed crowds in Stopher Gym. Over win the title and advance to the NCAA quarter- f 53,000 people saw the Colonels play, setting finals. Hypolite, who averaged 19.9 points and ' new attendance figures. 10.7 rebounds a game, was an honorable QQ Q Q 41 The Big Red basketball team broke into mention selection on the Associated Press - the NCAA and Associated Press polls in Janu- Division ll All-American team. Wilson, a high 1 A W , - ary and remained in them for the rest of the school All-American at Central Lafourche, l- EPQQCDEPG1 JQQLP season. ln the final polls, Nicholls finished sec- proved he could play college ball as he led the 3- '11' ....-. -- I ,5.g.-Z . Y - Q YYY YYY :lx CB- fi' ' lb EF' 112 A Season to Remember

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Freshman Larry Wilson was temporarily stunned after going up for a rebound, Richard Polk stands over the Mathews native, who led the GSC in scoring. Taking the ball from Michael Talbert 1403, center Shelby Hypolite sets a shot, and earns an honorable mention posi- tion on the AP CDiv. llj All-American team. conference in scoring with a 21.1 average. Polk made the All-American squad for the second consecutive year as he led the GSC in rebounding with a 13.6 average. The Missis- sippi native averaged 166 points a game and led Nicholls in steals and blocked shots and finished second in assists. Coach Don Landry said, Our preseason goals were to win the GSC championship, which we did with an 11-2 record and to have the best won-loss record in the school's his- tory. indirectly, we wanted to get into the NCAA play otts, but didn't talk about it. We knew it we accomplished the first two, the third would probably follow. The season started with Nicholls taking a road victory from Spring l-lill in early November. The Colonels came home to a 98-91 loss to the University ot New Orleans. After that loss, the Colonels reeled oft 17 straight wins to set a new school record, During the streak they moved into the AP Top 15 for the first time in tour years, when they were ranked 14th on Jan. 29. Included in those wins were conference wins over contenders Jacksonville and Southeast- l I 1 i i E ll i l ,l 1 i 1 ii ii l l 1 1 l l l 1 l l i l i i 1 l i l T l 1 Q 1 i 1 1 I l i I i i .4 H i i 1 4 i r 1 i li ii