NATCHITOCHES – Regrouping to play the first game after the Christmas break is always a tricky task for college basketball coaches.

For veteran Northwestern State mentor Mike McConathy, the situation is complicated by a much bigger unknown – how his squad will adjust to not having top scorer Zeek Woodley as a go-to-guy for the first time in 103 games.

Woodley, just 70 points away from breaking the Demons' career scoring record, is out with a broken wrist suffered Dec. 19 in NSU's 100-93 loss at Rice. He'll be sitting near McConathy on the bench Wednesday night in Prather Coliseum when NSU plays its final non-conference game, hosting Louisiana College.

Saturday, the Demons open the Southland Conference season with an afternoon doubleheader at Prather Coliseum against McNeese. Until Woodley's injury turned out to be so serious that he could miss the next 6-8 weeks, McConathy believed his playing rotation involving up to a dozen players was shaping up nicely.

"It's a constant process to figure out who fits best together. Just as our waves had become comfortable with one another, now we have to shift," he said. "It will take us a little longer to get us where we need to go.

"I'm thankful we have a system that can adjust to losing a key player, because we've been playing 10, 11, 12 players each time out, as opposed to six or seven. We don't have to bring somebody up from the ranks who hasn't been playing at all. We have seen what they can do, and they have experience playing extended minutes," said McConathy.

The Demons (5-5) have their best record at the Christmas break since 2012-13. The Wildcats, who are 2-6, also haven't played since Dec. 19 when they fell in overtime at Concordia. They will play Wednesday's contest as an exhibition, their fourth of the season, losing at UL Monroe and UTEP, but winning 85-75 at McNeese on Nov. 15.

"They showed with their early-season win at McNeese they can go toe-to-toe with us," said McConathy. "They'll pose a different matchup because they won't be big, but they will be quick and getting after us, so we'll have to play with the same type of style."

Without Woodley, the only Demon with a double-digit scoring average (17.6) this season, NSU will expect veteran starters Sabri Thompson (8.3), Devonte Hall (8.6) and Ishmael Lane (9.7) to increase their averages. All three scored in double figures last season.

"We're hopeful that given the opportunity to fill the void, guys will step up their production. Some are players who put up bigger scoring numbers last year, others have shown capability of being more productive if the opportunity was presented. That time is now," said McConathy. "The question is who can most consistently help provide some of the scoring and other contributions that Zeek gives us, and that's not likely just one person, but a group effort."

NSU has won three of its last four games and is a perfect 3-0 at home this season.