NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State women's basketball team will return home after a two-game road stint to host longtime rival and Southland Conference leader Stephen F. Austin on Thursday at 5:30 in league action.
 
SFA (10-6, 4-0 SLC) comes into the game on a seven-game win streak, and NSU (9-7, 2-2 SLC) has four victories its last six games. 
 
"All of us, going into the season, felt like SFA was going to be very tough," said second-year co-head coach Brooke Stoehr.  "They return maybe the best post player (Porsha Roberts) in the league.
 
"I think what has been the biggest thing for them is their balanced scoring from the perimeter," said Stoehr.
 
The Ladyjacks score at a clip of 71.2 points per game and opponents only average 63.7 points against them.
 
Roberts leads the team in scoring with 15.1 points a contest.  Brittany Matthew and Daylyn Harris also average in double-figures, 12.6 and 10.0 respectively.
 
Teirany Henderson averages 9.7 points a contest and leads SFA in rebounds with 7.9 a game, just ahead of Roberts' 7.6 an outing.
 
 "Teirany Henderson has been tremendous in conference play averaging a double-double," said Stoehr. "She knocked down some big shots for them. In a couple games teams have cut into their lead and she has hit a couple of 3-pointers that have been daggers."
 
Northwestern State averages 64 and allows 65 points per game. The Lady Demons hit shots at a 42 percent clip from the field and at 32 percent from behind the arc.
 
Keisha Lee continues to lead the team in scoring, 15.6 points per game, and Trudy Armstead leads the team in rebounding, 5.8 an outing.  Armstead averages 14.1 points a game.
 
"It's going to be a tough matchup for us," said Stoehr.  "I feel like there are some things that we can do and adjustments we can make, but we're going to have to defend extremely well and rebound."
 
Northwestern State will have a much-needed break on Saturday before opening another two-game road swing at Central Arkansas (Jan. 23) and Oral Roberts (Jan. 25).  The Lady Demons will return home on Jan. 30 to open a four-game homestand with Incarnate Word.