Before the start of this college basketball season, David R. Stopher Gymnasium, the home of the Nicholls State University men’s and women’s basketball teams, received some pretty significant upgrades, including new portable goals, new advertising signage and new scoring tables.
Cassidy Barrios had nothing to do with installing those items.
But she has done just about everything else for the Nicholls women’s basketball team this season.
Entering Wednesday night’s Southland Conference game at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, the 5-foot-10 junior guard from Raceland led the Colonels in scoring (14.6 points per game), rebounding (9.6 per game, second in the SLC), assists (53), steals (48) and blocks (18).
Barrios, a third-team all-SLC player last season, prepped at Vandebilt Catholic and has started every game during her Nicholls career – all 29 as a freshman, all 30 as a sophomore and all 17 as a junior so far this season.
“I’ve been playing all my life, so the game of basketball comes easy to me,” Barrios said. “It was easy for me to adjust to the college game after playing in high school and AAU. I wanted to start playing early, so I could get adjusted to the college game as quickly as possible.”
Barrios also leads the conference by playing an average of 37 minutes per game this season.
“I am pretty used to it now,” Barrios said. “I started playing pretty much full games as a freshman. I do get tired at times, but I know when I can take those breaks and when I can’t. I do like to be on the court. I hate to sit on the bench.”
The Colonels entered Wednesday night’s game at 8-9 overall and 3-3 in the SLC. The team has made six straight trips to the SLC tourney and, with Barrios as the catalyst this season, will be looking for another appearance this season and their first postseason win since 2013-14.
“I feel like I am more of a leader this year,” Barrios said. “Last year we had more upperclassmen. They did a lot. I feel like this year, I have to do it myself to show the (younger players) that they can do it too. I feel like I am improving each day.”
DoBee Plaisance, in her 10th season as head coach at Nicholls, said Barrios gives 100 percent in everything she does.
“The thing that really defines Cassidy is her work ethic on and off the court,” Plaisance said. “Without exception she has not missed or been late for a practice, a film, a community service event, a departure time. Nothing. When asked to get in extra work in the film room or the court, she’s there and then some, and she is an Academic All-Southland athlete. It’s hard work and commitment.”
Barrios, whose mother Julie played softball and volleyball at Nicholls, said she is happy to be doing it all so close to home in Thibodaux.
“One of the main reasons I did pick Nicholls was so I could stay close to home and have my family and friends come support me,” Barrios said. “I can look up in the stands and see them at pretty much any game here or on the road in the Southland. It’s big to bring some more fans in here and on the road to help give us the support we need.”
With the turnaround of the Colonels football team and with other programs on campus, like men’s basketball, softball and baseball on the rise, Barrios said it’s a special time to be a Nicholls athlete.
“All of our sports are coming up, and we don’t want to be the one not doing well,” Barrios said. “All the athletes support each other. We want to have the community support all the sports. We want to get them out to women’s basketball as well.”
Earlier in the season, Barrios scored 24 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in a 73-61 victory over Houston Baptist on Jan. 6.
She was twice named the SLC Player of the Week this season and also hit the 1,000-point mark for her career and moved into 15th all-time on the Nicholls women’s career scoring list.
But Plaisance said Barrios doesn’t play basketball for personally accolades. It’s all about winning.
“Cassidy is extremely humble and one of the most unselfish people I have ever been around,” Plaisance said. “Whether she scores a point or 31 points, it’s always about her team. She doesn’t come across as this fierce competitor on the floor, but Cassidy wants to win on the floor, in the community and in the classroom. Cassidy is a fierce competitor and will do what it takes. Her tank is never even half full. Her engine is always going, and she takes a beating and she comes back and plays. She is a class act.”
Plaisance said Barrios personifies everything she looks for in a Nicholls women’s basketball player and her admiration and her appreciation for her star guard runs deep.
“We bring kids here and tell them it’s not about the four years, it’s about the 40 years,” Plaisance said. “We want them to grow with this program and be ambassadors for themselves, their families and this institution. She is quintessentially all of those things, and praise God, we are blessed to have her here, and her coach loves her and appreciates her. I personally am blessed to have Cassidy Barrios in my life.”