BEAUMONT, Texas -- Dantrell Thomas scored 15 points Thursday night and Nicholls State beat Lamar 64-60 for its third straight Southland Conference win.

Sam McBeath scored 14, Jeremy Smith 13, and the Colonels (6-6, 3-0) outshot Lamar (1-14, 0-3) 45.6 percent to 41.3 percent.

Lamar jumped to a 10-6 lead but Nicholls State went ahead 21-20 on a jumper by Shane Rillieux and led by as many as four until Nimrod Hilliard tied it a 32 on a free throw. Rillieux's layup just before the half ended gave Nicholls State a 34-32 lead.

The Colonels opened the second half with five quick points, but Lamar replied with six unanswered points and stayed close until 7:36, when a free throw by Thomas sparked a 7-1 run and Nicholls State held on.

Amos Wilson had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Lamar, Hilliard scored 13, Donovan Ross 12, Rhon Mitchell 11 and Anthony Holliday 10.