Cotton leads UT Rio Grande Valley against Nicholls State after 24-point game

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Nicholls State Colonels (4-8, 3-0 Southland) at UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros (5-7, 1-2 Southland)

Edinburg, Texas; Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: UT Rio Grande Valley takes on Nicholls State after Koree Cotton scored 24 points in UT Rio Grande Valley's 85-69 loss to the New Orleans Privateers.

The Vaqueros have gone 3-2 at home. UT Rio Grande Valley is second in the Southland with 16.4 assists per game led by Always Wright averaging 3.0.

The Colonels are 3-0 in Southland play. Nicholls State ranks seventh in the Southland with 8.9 offensive rebounds per game led by Jalik Dunkley averaging 2.3.

UT Rio Grande Valley scores 77.1 points per game, 0.2 fewer points than the 77.3 Nicholls State allows. Nicholls State averages 9.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.3 more made shots on average than the 7.9 per game UT Rio Grande Valley allows.

The Vaqueros and Colonels meet Wednesday for the first time in Southland play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Cotton is averaging 12 points and 5.4 rebounds for the Vaqueros. Marvin McGhee III is averaging 9.0 points over the last 10 games.

Jaylen Searles is scoring 13.4 points per game with 4.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists for the Colonels. Dunkley is averaging 14.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Vaqueros: 4-6, averaging 74.9 points, 33.7 rebounds, 16.1 assists, 6.2 steals and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.8 points per game.

Colonels: 4-6, averaging 79.9 points, 27.9 rebounds, 14.9 assists, 10.5 steals and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 78.6 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.