NATCHITOCHES – It's early in the 18-game Southland Conference basketball race, so Saturday afternoon's home contest against Lamar at 3 p.m. in Prather Coliseum isn't a must-win for Northwestern State.
 
It is, however, a tone-setter, said Demons coach Mike McConathy.
 
Appropriately because Saturday's game is the second side of a women's/men's doubleheader for NSU, he relied upon a pet phrase of Lady Demons' co-head coach Brooke Stoehr when assessing his team.
 
The Demons lost at home for only the second time in 15 outings on Tuesday night when Abilene Christian poured in 59 percent of its 3-pointers (16-27) and 58 percent overall in a 95-81 upset. It dropped NSU to 7-8 overall, 2-2 in the Southland heading into Saturday's meeting with Lamar (9-7, 3-1).
 
"Now we've got what coach Stoehr refers to as 'a defining moment.' How will we respond?," said McConathy. "ACU played a great game, shot the ball exceptionally well from outside, and beat us. We can't change that. We can change the way we've played defense and move in the direction of becoming the team we can be."
 
As usual, offense hasn't been an issue for NSU. Sophomore Zeek Woodley is third nationally in scoring at 22.1 points per game and his 56.4 percent shooting aim is 28^th. Junior Jalan West has stepped up his scoring with two consecutive 30-point outings, while slipping out of the NCAA's top spot in assists, now standing second at 7.4 per game to Kris Dunn of Providence (7.6).
 
West's scoring average is up to 18.3, third in the Southland, and he's pouring in 25.0 in the four league games.
 
The Demons, second nationally in scoring each of the past two seasons, are ninth with an 82.3 average. But they are allowing 85.1, 343^rd among 355 NCAA Division I teams, and the average rises to 87.2 allowed in conference games.
 
The Cardinals, who have won seven of their last eight overall, have gotten off to a surprising Southland start due largely to sturdy defense, giving up only 65.8 points per game in four league games.
 
Lamar is led by 6-6 senior Tyran de Lattibeaudiere, whose 60.2 percent shooting aim is 11^th nationally and contributes to his team-best 14.4 scoring average. He grabs 7.4 rebounds per game, fourth-best in the Southland. 
 
Senior guard Anthony Holloway averages 11.7 points and 3.5 assists, and poured in a career-best 25 in a 66-64 win Monday at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, adding eight assists and making only one turnover. He scored the game-winning basket on a driving shot with five seconds remaining.
 
Senior forward Donavan Ross adds 10.2 points per game.
 
A win over Lamar would give McConathy his 600^th career collegiate coaching victory in his 32^nd year as a coach, 16 at Bossier Parish Community College and the last 16 at NSU.
 
The game is the second in a stretch when NSU plays four of five home games in conference play by the end of the month. Next week, the Demons play Tuesday night at A&M-Corpus Christi, then come home for a Saturday doubleheader against McNeese.
 
The NSU-Lamar doubleheader Saturday will be broadcast on the Demon Sports Network, flagshipped by 100.7 KZBL in Natchitoches and including and SuperTalk 1340 AM KRMD in Shreveport, and KWLA 103.1 FM in Anacoco. Free audio is available at NSUDemons.com and SuperTalk1340.com. Pay-per-view or subscription video is available at NSUDemons.com.