Lady Demon Basketball | 11/18/2017 12:25:00 PM

STILLWATER, Oklahoma – The most recent time the Northwestern State women's basketball team traveled to a Power Five conference foe, Jordan Dupuy saw something different in his team.
 
As the Lady Demons prepare for Sunday's 1 p.m. matchup with Oklahoma State of the Big 12, NSU's second-year coach is armed with a little more positivity.
 
"That's something we focused on in the offseason – we wanted to have mental toughness," Dupuy said of his team's season-opening performance at Ole Miss on Nov. 10. "We didn't have it last year on the road. If you can go in and play well against a Big 12 opponent, you can play well against anyone else on the schedule."
 
Since dropping the opener to the Rebels, Northwestern State (2-1) has won consecutive games, holding LeTourneau and LSU-Shreveport to a combined 81 points. That total marks the fewest points any Lady Demons team has surrendered to consecutive opponents in four-plus decades of women's basketball.
 
Northwestern State accomplished that feat without four injured players. There is a chance junior college transfer guard Nautica Grant could make her Lady Demons debut Sunday against the Cowgirls (3-0).
 
Grant is one of five Lady Demons newcomers, two of which are junior college transfers. Fellow JUCO product Leah Barnes is averaging seven points through three games, starting all three.
 
After being held scoreless at Ole Miss, Barnes has scored 21 points in the wins against LeTourneau and LSUS.
 
"Leah never got in any kind of rhythm at Ole Miss, five fouls in four minutes," Dupuy said. "The LeTourneau game was huge for her. Nautica needs to come in and get her legs under her and play well. Hopefully that will be at Oklahoma State."
 
Junior forward Libba Gilliam (14.0) and sophomore guard Jasmyn Johnson (11.0) have produced four double-figure scoring outputs in five games between them, taking advantage of their opportunities.
 
Gilliam scored a career-high 21 points against LeTourneau while Johnson has tallied double figures at Ole Miss and against LSUS. While that pair has seen game action prior to this season, their freshman teammates are getting their first taste of Division I basketball.
 
The experience of playing places like Oklahoma State can be invaluable for young players' development, something Dupuy said he understands and appreciates.
 
"Hopefully confidence," Dupuy said of what the freshmen gain from these games. "Realizing they can play with the big girls, the big programs. You go play a Big 12 team well on its court, you shouldn't be worried about playing anyone else on the schedule.
 
"At Ole Miss, we had three freshmen on the floor at one time, and they threw a defense at us we didn't prepare for. It was something new they're doing this year. Within four possessions, they had to get out of it, because we were able to get some 3 balls. There are a lot of positive things (early in the season). We need to take them from game to game and continue to learn and build."
 
Sunday's game can be heard on 100.7 FM KZBL in Natchitoches and worldwide with streaming audio on www.NSUDemons.com. Tony Taglavore, in his 10^th season, will handle the play-by-play call of the game.