BEAUMONT, Texas — The Northwestern State men’s basketball team remains on the road tonight, looking to turn competitive stretches into results as the Demons visit Lamar in a 6 p.m. Southland Conference contest airing on ESPN+ with a radio broadcast on the Demon Sports Network, flagshipped by 100.7 FM KZBL in Natchitoches.
NSU (6-17 overall, 4-11 in the SLC) enters the matchup following a 52-48 loss Saturday at East Texas A&M in a defensive battle that saw neither team shoot above 30 percent from the field. The Demons managed just 19 first-half points — their lowest first-half output of the season — and trailed for more than 36 minutes before trimming the deficit to two in the final 30 seconds.
The Demons outrebounded the Lions 51–44 and dominated second-chance points 19–2 while holding East Texas A&M to 26 percent shooting. Willie Williams recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 10 points and a career-high 15 rebounds.
A dozen first-half turnovers and a 4-for-19 performance from beyond the arc proved costly, continuing a trend of narrow defeats during the Demons’ recent stretch.
Head coach Rick Cabrera said he believes the group remains close to breaking through.
“We have to keep them believing,” Cabrera said. “We are so close, but they — as well as myself — have to be better at finishing.”
The opening minutes have been pivotal in recent games, with Northwestern frequently playing from behind. Cabrera emphasized the importance of urgency from the outset.
“We have to play with a pulse and impact the game defensively,” he said. “We can’t continue to play catch-up every game.”
The Cardinals (12-11, 7-8) enter Monday’s contest following an 84–74 loss at conference-leading Stephen F. Austin on Saturday.
Cabrera expects a physical, balanced opponent in the rematch.
“Very good team with great inside-outside balance,” he said. “They defend and are tough. We have to do the exact same thing to have a chance, which we always do.”
Monday’s contest marks the second meeting between the teams this season. Lamar defeated Northwestern 76–61 in Natchitoches on Dec. 29.
LADY DEMONS FALL: After a solid shooting first quarter, Northwestern went cold from the field in the final three periods in a 61-52 loss at East Texas A&M on Saturday afternoon.
In the first quarter, NSU (11-11, 8-6) made 7-of-16 from the field, but went just 15-of-51 in the final three quarters, while the Lions (11-10, 7-7) made 53.9 percent in the game’s opening 33 minutes. The Lady Demons dropped their second straight game to finish the road trip.
“We got outplayed today and weren’t ready to compete,” head coach Anna Nimz said.
The middle of the pack in the Southland Conference is clustered, as the fifth-place Demons and eighth-place Nicholls are separated by just a game and a half. Eight teams make the SLC Tournament field next month.
The Lady Demons are home Thursday night to play McNeese.