NATCHITOCHES – Texas used its superior length and athleticism to deal Northwestern State a heavy blow in its season opener Friday.
 
NSU coach Mike McConathy hope his team can inflict similar damage Sunday as the Demons (0-1) open their home schedule against Division III LeTourneau (0-0).
 
The game is part of a doubleheader that includes a women's game at 2 p.m. and a men's game at 4 p.m., both against LeTourneau.
 
"We want to do to LeTourneau what Texas did to us," said McConathy, whose Demons committed 19 turnovers that led to a 28-0 points-off-turnovers advantage for the Longhorns. "We want to get in the passing lanes, apply pressure and contest every shot.
 
"Coach Dan Miller does a really good job over there, and those guys had shooters that killed us last year."
 
The Yellow Jackets made 15-of-27 3-pointers a year ago as NSU had to come from behind for a 92-87 win. LeTourneau held a lead as late as 1:20 remaining in the contest, but NSU ended the game on a 6-0 run, four of those points by Ishmael Lane.
 
NSU trotted out a mostly new lineup Friday that included six freshmen and two transfers. Only four players who made the trip had played regularly in NSU purple (Lane, Iziahiah Sweeney, Bailey Walker and Devonte Hall).
 
The Demons will still be without senior point guard Jalan West, who will make his 2017-18 debut at home next Friday against Rice.

Freshman guard Czar Perry scored 15 points against Texas in his career debut, and sophomore guard Jacob Guest scored a career-high 11 points after tallying 12 points all of this past season.
 
But Texas attempted 19 more shots and 18 more free throws thanks to a 19-5 turnover edge and a 48-33 rebounding edge (19-6 on the offensive glass).
 
After trailing by 35 points at halftime, NSU competed better in the second half, losing by 11.
 
McConathy hopes Friday's loss doesn't impact his team mentally, but he wants his young squad to learn from its mistakes.
 
"The biggest thing when a team doesn't perform the way it thought it would is to come out the next time with a chip on their shoulder and an attitude to re-establish who we are," McConathy said. "These guys can't dwell on the Texas game, but we do need to learn from our mistakes.
 
"We've got to communicate, and that's tougher on young players who haven't played together a lot. Getting right back on the court is helpful to reset our mentality, but it also doesn't give us time to make any corrections."
 
NSU traveled back from Austin, Texas, on Saturday and won't practice before Sunday's contest.
 
The Demons have won all 14 contests against Division III opponents in McConathy's tenure (19^th season). NSU has beaten LeTourneau in all five matchups between the programs.
 
Sunday's contest is part of four games in eight days for the Demons, but Guest is happy that Sunday's matchup is at home.
 
"I'm ready to get in front of the home crowd, and hopefully we can do a little damage to (LeTourneau)," Guest said.