Box Score NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State used a smothering defense coordinated with some sharp shooting from Trudy Armstead Tuesday night as the Lady Demons cruised to a 109-72 home opening win over Centenary.
 
Armstead led all scorers with 25 points, tying a career high.  She had 16 of those in the first half alone and finished off a double-double by tying a career-best with 13 rebounds.  Jasmine Upchurch added a career-best 19 points with nine boards while Ronikka Drake donated 13 points and Tiandra Williams a career-high 10.
 
The 109 points scored by NSU (1-1) was the most since the team netted 105 against Troy State in the 1998-99 season.  It was also the third time under eighth-year head coach Jennifer Graf the Lady Demons have toppled the century mark – the last being a 101-39 win over Southern-New Orleans on Dec. 4, 2007.
 
“I was really proud of the way we played offensively,” said Graf.  “We moved the ball around really well and knocked down our shots.  But we need to do a better job of taking care of the ball and not turn it over so much.”
 
NSU turned the ball over 26 times and forced Centenary into 28 miscues.  But unlike NSU's season-opening loss at Wichita State last Saturday where the Lady Demons couldn't score off the turnovers, Tuesday night was a complete opposite as NSU sank 37 points off the Ladies' miscues.
 
“I thought we did much better job in that area,” said Graf. 
 
The Lady Demons connected on 52 percent of their shots on the evening after it sank 43 of 82 from the floor.  NSU was 6 of 17 from 3-point range and hit 17 of 28 from the free throw line.  But the big disparity came in the rebounding margin where the Lady Demons dominated the boards by a 60-28 advantage.
 
“We hit the boards really well,” said Graf.  “I was really happy with the way Trudy and Jasmine played.”
 
After NSU held a 54-33 lead at the half, Centenary (0-1), who is coached by former Lady Demon player and assistant coach Kristen Davis, cut the gap to 14 points at 64-50 with 15:16 to play in the game.  But the Lady Demons rolled together a 22-5 run to bolt out to an 86-55 lead with 9:21 to play.
 
The 100^th point came on a layup by Upchurch with 4:46 to go to make it 100-65.
 
Jalena Sanders led Centenary with 15 points while Vashni Sharp-Moore added 13 and Dio Warr 11.
 
The Lady Demons will be back in action on Friday when they visit Alabama.