NATCHITOCHES – A fast-paced opening to the 16-game Southland Conference basketball race shapes up Saturday at 2 in Prather Coliseum as Northwestern State, second in last year's league race and led by remarkable senior center William Mosley, plays host to the nation's No. 8 scoring team, Texas State.

The Demons are 7-7 as they make their conference debut on the heels of road losses at 14^th-ranked Mississippi State (82-67 on Dec. 22) and Oklahoma (83-63 last Saturday). The Bobcats are 7-7 overall and 0-1 in the Southland, having a 14-point lead evaporate as they lost on a buzzer-beating shot at home Wednesday night, 66-65 to Stephen F. Austin.

Northwestern is 5-0 at home this season and 18-3 in Prather Coliseum since the start of last season. Texas State is winless on opponents' courts this season in five tries. The Bobcats are scoring 81.5 points per game while allowing 76.2, while the Demons score and allow an average of 71 points overall and have always been an up-tempo team in Mike McConathy's 13 seasons as head coach.

Both teams rely on deep rotations and have balanced scoring. NSU is led by junior guard Shamir Davis (13.3 points per game) and junior forward James Hulbin (10.4), just ahead of senior guard Louis Ellis (9.9 ppg). Texas State has three players averaging between 11-12 points, topped by Matt Staff (11.8).

Mosley needs nine blocked shots to break into the NCAA's career Top 25 rankings in that category. He has 383 all-time. The 6-7 senior center leads the Southland in blocks per game (3.7, fifth nationally), rebounds per game (9.4, 40^th nationally), and is second in shooting aim (54 percent) while averaging 9.1 points.

The Demons are sixth in the country in steals per game (9.8), ninth in blocks per game (6.5) and 57^th in turnover margin, with a plus 2.5. Along with its scoring ranking, Texas State is 11^th in turnover margin (plus 4.7), 33^rd in steals (8.8 pg), 57^th in 3-pointers per game (7.8), 62^nd in assists per agme (14.7) and 89^th in free throw aim (71 percent).

McConathy will be coaching in his 898th career college game in 29 seasons at NSU and Bossier Parish Community College.

After Saturday afternoon's contest, the Demons visit Nicholls next Wednesday evening and come home again next Saturday to play host to Central Arkansas.