MEMPHIS -- It will be challenging for the Northwestern State basketball team bus simply getting to the FedEx Forum for Saturday's game against nationally-ranked Memphis, thanks to the combination of that morning's St. Jude Memphis Marathon and the wintry weather.

It's doubtful the Southland Conference favorite Demons (3-3) will encounter worse weather, more traffic or a tougher opponent than the Tigers (5-1, No. 15 in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25, No. 16 in the AP Top 25) this regular season. Memphis opened the season ranked 13th, and just avenged its lone loss by beating then No. 6 Oklahoma State.

The 12:02 game will be broadcast on 97.5 FM KDBH in Natchitoches and streamed free of charge at NSUDemons.com. It is being webcast on ESPN3, which is available through cable TV systems.

The Demons are ninth nationally in scoring (89.7 average) after leading the nation last year during the regular season and finishing second (80.0). The Demons are the nation's fastest paced team with 84.5 possessions per game (Memphis is 11th at 78.0).

Northwestern is third in the nation by forcing 19.4 turnovers per game, and Memphis is fifth (17.8 pg). NSU averages 10.3 steals, 12^th in the country, while Memphis is third (11.4 average). The Demons are sixth nationally in blocked shots, averaging 8.0 so far.

Defending the Tigers in transition, doing a better job rebounding and having a good shooting performance are the keys for the Demons, said 15^th-year coach Mike McConathy.

"We've done poorly all season in transition defense, and on the boards (being outrebounded by more than 11 per game). We have to be better than we've been in those areas to have a shot coming down the stretch Saturday," he said. "When we shoot well, we're capable of playing at a high level and that comes down to taking good shots and getting transition baskets."

Sophomore guard Jalan West (18 points, 5.5 assists per game) and senior forward DeQuan Hicks (15 points, 7 rebounds per game) top NSU in scoring, with freshman guard Zikiteran Woodley (14.3, 67 percent shooting aim) and senior guard Brison White (12.8) also averaging in double figures.

NSU will be without senior guard Gary Stewart, who scored 23 in the Demons' 111-92 win at Auburn last month. Stewart had successful arthroscopic knee surgery Thursday and could be back in action when the Southland Conference season begins Jan. 2.

Memphis also has four players scoring in double digits topped by senior guard Joe Jackson at 14.2 per game and highly regarded freshman forward Austin Nichols at 12.2.

The Demons will next play Wednesday night at Louisiana Tech and host Louisiana College next Saturday afternoon.