NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State got Stephen F. Austin to miss enough jumpers Monday night, but the Lumberjacks recovered quickly and with decisive efficiency.
 
SFA shot 53 percent overall, including several scores after offensive rebounds, and the visiting Lumberjacks pulled away late for a 93-82 Southland Conference basketball victory in front of the fifth-largest crowd (3,612) in Prather Coliseum history.
 
They came to see if the Demons could end the country's longest conference winning streak, which stretched to 32 consecutive regular-season wins (plus two more in last year's Southland Tournament) for the Lumberjacks (20-3 overall, 10-0 in the conference). The outcome snapped a four-game surge by the Demons (12-10, 7-4), who were the No. 2 pick in preseason polls behind SFA.
 
In a taut battle with 10 ties and 16 lead changes, the Lumberjacks took control with an 8-1 burst in just under two minutes coming down the stretch. After Tony Dobbinson's 3-pointer moved NSU within 75-72 with 7:08 remaining, SFA got a three-point play at the 5:47 mark from Thomas Walkup and a layup with 5:15 left by Jacob Parker to complete the surge, building at the time the biggest spread of the night.
 
The Demons never got closer than seven afterward. Starting the decisive push was a pair of offensive rebounds by Ty Charles, who dumped in three free throws that doubled SFA's advantage to six.
 
"Their ability to score on putbacks made a huge difference," said Demons' coach Mike McConathy. "As good a basketball team as they are, they're more tough than they are good. That toughness allowed them to make those plays. We'd either force them into a miss or be fortunate to have them miss, and time and again they managed to get the ball, off the glass or even on air balls, and score it or get to the line.
"You have to tip your cap and take it as a challenge for us to be better in that area when we meet again," he said.
 
Charles led the visitors with 19 points, while Parker and Walkup each scored 16 and Tanner Clayton added 13.
 
Jalan West scored a game-high 28, posting the second-best free throw performance in school history with an 11-for-11 night at the line. The 5-foot-10 point guard led NSU with seven rebounds, five assists and two steals.
 
Zeek Woodley, the nation's third-leading scorer with a 22.4 average, managed 17 despite playing only 19 minutes due to foul trouble. He sat out the last 17 minutes of the first half, which ended with SFA up 42-41. The Demons stayed step-for-step with the Lumberjacks despite Woodley watching largely behind Sabri Thompson, who scored all 13 of his points by halftime.
 
SFA never trailed in the game's final 15:43. The final margin was the biggest of the night.
 
The Lumberjacks shot 53 percent overall, 47 percent (9-19) on 3-pointers, and made 80 percent (20-25) at the free throw line. They posted a 37-28 rebounding advantage as the Demons played without 6-8 senior center Marvin Frazier, who missed his second straight game with an ankle injury that has him out indefinitely. He is NSU's leading rebounder and third-leading scorer.
 
SFA's Walkup snagged a game-best nine rebounds, all on NSU misses. Charles and Clayton each collected four offensive rebounds among their six overall, and each had five assists.
 
The Demons made 44 percent overall, 42 percent (10-24) on 3-pointers, and 24 of 29 (83 percent) at the free throw line. They were outscored 36-20 in the paint.
 
NSU will go on the road to visit old rival McNeese State Saturday, and plays at home next Monday night against Central Arkansas.