CORPUS CHRISTI – One team's pair of bitter endings opening conference play will be eased Saturday night when Northwestern State visits Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a 7:30 Southland Conference basketball contest.

The Demons (6-7 overall, 0-2 Southland) and Islanders (7-6, 0-2) each were nipped in overtime in their league opener last Saturday and each fell by four in the second contest.

AMCC, featuring Southland Player of the Year candidate senior forward Rashawn Thomas, was picked for a second-place finish in the conference's preseason coaches poll. The Demons, who are now without injured senior Player of the Year candidate Zeek Woodley, were projected fourth.

NSU will play for the fourth time without Woodley, who broke his shooting wrist Dec. 19 at Rice and had surgery four days later, and without sophomore forward Malik Metoyer. He will miss the rest of the season due to knee surgery.

Seven different Demons have scored in double figures in the first two conference games. Only senior swingman Tra'von Joseph has scored 10 or more in both conference games. Junior point guard Devonte Hall and freshman guard Josh Boyd each recorded career highs, Boyd with 26 against McNeese and Hall with 23, all in the final 9:33, Thursday night in the 84-80 loss at Incarnate Word.

"There's no flow offensively yet, none whatsoever, and we've got to fix that," said Demons' coach Mike McConathy. "We're trying to work on shooting and emphasize quality looks. We're capable.  I was really pleased defensively for most of the game Thursday night, but their two big runs (18-0, 12-0) benefitted from lapses in both phases by us. We weren't scoring and we gave up a barrage of 3-pointers. We're all, players and coaches, trying to find ourselves, and on the fly as the conference season is starting."

NSU shot decently overall, 45 percent, on the heels of a miserable 30 percent outing against McNeese. The Demons struggled behind the 3-point arc, going 3-for-12 after a 2-for-17 performance last Saturday – on the heels of hitting 41 percent in the prior five games. NSU had one of its better free throw shooting outings, 75 percent (27-36), against UIW and outrebounded the Cardinals 47-34.

The Islanders, edged 73-72 in overtime at New Orleans and 68-64 at Nicholls, ride Thomas' 18.2 scoring average and his 8.5 rebounding norm. Guard Ehab Amin leads the Southland with 3.6 steals per game. Cole Martinez is the league's top 3-point shooter at 49 percent and is second with his 92 percent free throw aim, contributing to a 10.5 scoring average.

"They're extremely well coached (Willis Wilson), and big Rashawn can play and is a veteran. They'll be home for the first time and like us, they are hungry to get on the right side of the score at the end, and they are just a few points from being 2-0 in conference instead of 0-2. I know we'll come to play, and if we can make progress, we'll hopefully be in it and have a chance at the end," said McConathy.

The game at the American Bank Center on the Gulf Coast will follow a 4:30 women's matchup between the schools. The doubleheader will be broadcast on the Demon Sports Network, flagshipped by 100.7 FM KZBL in Natchitoches and including 92.1 KSYR FM in Shreveport and 103.1 KWLA FM serving Sabine and Vernon parishes.
 
NSU will play its only two home games this month next Thursday night against Nicholls and next Saturday afternoon against Sam Houston State.