CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Sustaining the offensive flow that has helped Northwestern State surge to No. 3 in the country in scoring is a primary objective Tuesday night as the Demons shoot for a Southland Conference road win at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Tipoff is 7 p.m. at the American Bank Center between the Demons (8-8 overall, 3-2 in the Southland) and Islanders (8-8, 3-1). It's the only road game in a six-game stretch for NSU, which comes home Saturday to play McNeese and entertains Nicholls next Monday.

The Demons were struggling offensively five games into the season, but since then, they've benefitted from increasing contributions throughout the roster to raise their scoring average from 72.8 to 82.3. They made just 40 percent overall, and only 23 percent on 3-pointers, in the first five games, but have connected on 47 percent since, including 36 percent on 3s, while averaging 88 points in the last 11 outings.

The Islanders prefer a more deliberate pace. They're scoring 66.1 per game and giving up 65.9.

Only two NSU foes, Louisiana College and Lyon College, have scored less than 75 points. The Demons are giving up 85 a game.

"The style we play offensively makes us successful. It's definitely who we are and what we do best," said 16^th-year Demons coach Mike
McConathy, who picked up his 600^th career coaching win in 32 seasons, 16 at NSU, in Saturday's 96-84 victory over Lamar. "Sure, I'd love us to be better defensively, although we have defended well at times in games to help us make runs to win those games. The object is to score more than the other team and when we get the pace of the game up, our chances are pretty good."

NSU has two of the country's top 50 scorers. Sophomore Zeek Woodley ranks third with his 22.3 average after scoring 25 Saturday. Junior point guard Jalan West, who leads the NCAA with his 7.6 assists average, is 43^rd in scoring at 18.2 per game, including a 23.6 average in the last five contests.

Along with West and Woodley, NSU has gotten increased production from players such as Sabri Thompson, who scored 15 against Lamar, and Tony Dobbinson, who has 30 points in the last two games.

The Islanders also have an outstanding point guard in John Jordan, second to West in the Southland and 57^th nationally with 4.8 assists per game to go with a team-high 15.6 scoring average. He is fourth nationally with 150 free throw attempts and ninth with 104 makes at the line.

Forward Rashawn Thomas was second to Woodley in last year's Southland Freshman of the Year voting. He is 42^nd nationally with an 8.7 rebounding average while scoring 12.9 points per game.

A&M-Corpus Christi has won four of its last five, prevailing 69-66 Saturday at Nicholls State after a bitter homecourt 66-64 loss to Lamar earlier last week. The Demons have won four of their last six.

The matchup will be broadcast on the Demon Sports Network, flagshipped by 100.7 KZBL in Natchitoches and including SuperTalk 1340 AM KRMD in Shreveport, and KWLA 103.1 FM in Anacoco. Free audio is available at NSUDemons.com and SuperTalk1340.com.