NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State, now the hottest team in the Southland Conference after wins over the other two league frontrunners, plays host to an explosive and talented Central Arkansas squad Saturday afternoon at 3 in Prather Coliseum.
 
The Demons (15-6 overall, 9-2 in the Southland) topped the Bears (9-12, 4-7) in a 100-88 shootout Jan. 12 at UCA. The teams are 1-2 in the conference in scoring (UCA averages 76.7 points per game) while Northwestern continues to lead the country with its 83.9 average.
 
Northwestern won its fifth straight and ended Oral Roberts' six-game win streak Thursday night with an 85-73 triumph in front of a season-high 2,933 at Prather Coliseum. The Demons recorded 21 steals, the second-highest total in the country against a Division I team this year, and the most ever against Oral Roberts, topping 19 by Kansas in 1993. NSU jumped to fifth nationally in steals per game (10.2) in Friday's updated NCAA stats.
 
League-leading Stephen F. Austin shackled visiting Central Arkansas 72-36 Thursday night. The Bears had won four of their last five games, with the only loss in that stretch coming on a last-second shot.
 
“UCA is an incredibly talented team that can score points in bunches and has lots of weapons,” said NSU coach Mike McConathy. “Both teams want a fast pace and there will be one Saturday. We were fortunate to hold them off in Conway last month. No lead is safe in this game. There are going to be a lot of exciting plays and hopefully we can benefit from being at home.”
 
The Demons have four double-digit scorers pacing the offense: junior forward DeQuan Hicks (15.0 average), senior guard Shamir Davis (12.9), senior forward James Hulbin (12.7) and redshirt freshman guard Jalan West (10.9). West is 11^th nationally in steals per game (2.6) and 39^th in assists (5.4) after posting 18 assists and 10 steals in NSU's last two wins. Hicks is 23^rd nationally in field goal aim (57.0 percent).
 
UCA is topped by the Southland's No. 3-ranked scorer, senior guard Jarvis Garner (15.9 ppg), and also has two more players in the league's top 10, LaQuentin Miles (14.7, seventh) and Robert Crawford (14.2, eighth). Crawford is second in the conference in 3-point aim (43.5 percent), just behind NSU's Hulbin (43.6), wo has drained 51.5 percent (17-33) in Southland play.
 
The Demons are 10-1 at home this season and 34-7 in Prather Coliseum over the past three years.

The game will be broadcast on the Demon Sports Network, flagshipped by 100.7 FM KZBL in Natchitoches and including 92.1 FM KSYR in Shreveport and 99.9 KTEZ FM in Many. Free live audio is available at NSUDemons.com while a live video stream can be purchased there.
 
The contest is the last home outing of the month for the Demons, who are on the road for five straight until a March 2 return to Prather Coliseum.