NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Corey Blake led six players in double figures with 13 points as New Orleans held off Nicholls State 79-76 Wednesday night.

Corey Dixon and Lovell Cook each had 12, Isaac Mack had 11 and Traddariu McPhearson and Eddie Denard added 10 apiece.

New Orleans (3-5) led 41-36 at halftime and pushed its lead to 66-55 behind a Dixon layup with 8:33 left in the second half. Back-to-back 3-pointers from T.J. Carpenter cut the deficit to 66-63 and Fred Hunter scored six straight points for Nicholls State (1-5) to draw the Colonels within two, 77-75, with 30 seconds remaining.

Hunter had the chance to tie the game at the free throw line with 29 seconds showing but made just 1 of 2 attempts. New Orleans made two free throws in the final 20 seconds while Nicholls State missed three attempts during the same span.

Hunter finished with 36 points.

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