AUSTIN, Texas -- Northwestern State will be one of the youngest teams in the nation at the beginning of the season with six freshmen and eight newcomers, but coach Mike McConathy said he's enjoyed the newfound energy in practice.
 
The Demons will need that energy against the vaunted press of Texas as NSU tips off its season Friday in Austin. NSU opens its home season Sunday in a women's/men's 2 p.m. doubleheader at Prather Coliseum against LeTourneau, then visits SMU next Wednesday to begin a season-opening stretch of six games in 14 days.
 
Friday's 7:15 p.m. contest from the Erwin Center will be broadcast on The Longhorn Network and the WatchESPN app. Radio coverage will be provided by Patrick Netherton on the Demon Sports Radio Network (airing on 97.5 FM KDBH, and NSUDemons.com).
 
"I really think the general feeling of being excited and the intensity level they are playing with is encouraging," said McConathy, who is beginning his 19^th season in Natchitoches. "Guys are stepping up and doing things, and they may be asked to do things that are different for them but are best for the team.
 
"Texas will press you and do a lot of different things. They have a lot of long guys that can make their press more effective, but they can also be less effective if you can counter with speed. If they are long and fast, then you really have a big task ahead."
 
NSU will be without the services of seventh-year point guard Jalan West, who is sidelined for the first three games this season because of a secondary/Level III NCAA rules violation last fall.
 
West, who was awarded a seventh year of eligibility after suffering ACL injuries in consecutive seasons, led the Demons to a 92-85 exhibition win at Grambling with 20 points and six rebounds. He'll return for his first regular-season action in two years for next Friday's home matchup with Rice.
 
Only five other Division I teams have more newcomers than NSU's eight. Just four more  schools feature more freshmen than the Demons' six.
 
With the influx of newcomers, McConathy is able to reinstitute his well-known "wave system," which substitutes five players in waves to keep fresh legs on the court.
 
NSU wore down Grambling with three waves. Three other Demons have point guard experience in senior Devonte Hall and freshmen Czar Perry and C.J. Jones.
 
Hall has been NSU's primary point guard over the past two seasons, averaging nearly 10 points and five assists per game this past season.
 
"We expect the challenge to be a very good one," said Hall, who was high school teammates with West at Bossier High. "We know they are tall and long, but we feel like we can play with them.
 
"The returners have come together and want to show that our brotherhood is everything, and we feel like every new guy will help us in one way or another."
 
The Bossier native is one of three returning starters, including senior guard Iziahiah Sweeney (8.4 ppg last year) and junior forward Ishmael Lane (11 ppg, 6.2 rpg).
 
Lane collected 12 points and eight rebounds in Monday's win, which was bolstered by 10 points from Sweeney.
 
Sophomore guard Brandon Hutton had arguably the largest newcomer impact, filling the stat sheet with eight points, six rebounds, four steals and three assists.
 
All 11 Demons that played scored, including six points and seven rebounds from 6-foot-8 center Larry Owens.
 
Lane and Owens will face a Texas roster that includes five players who stand at least 6-foot-9, including 6-foot-11 freshman Mohamed Bamba (7-foot-9 wingspan), who was ranked as a top-two recruit nationally.
 
"The opposition will be very good, but overall I feel like we have to go out there and have fun," Sweeney said. "We're trying to prepare for the (Southland Conference), that's our main focus.
 
"I feel us having the same style of play (both teams press) will be beneficial and help us get better at what we do."
 
The Demons have played 17 Power Five conference members since 2013-14, pulling off an upset at Auburn that season with three other losses by eight points or less in that span.
 
NSU is coming off a 13-16 season in which the Demons just missed the league tournament despite winning its last three games, including victories against two of the top three SLC Tournament seeds.
 
Texas struggled in coach Shaka Smart's second season at 11-22 with three starters returning from that squad.
 
The Longhorns went 2-2 on its Australian exhibition tour in August, playing against professional teams in the top two tiers of Australian basketball.
 
Texas knocked off Texas A&M, 73-69, in an Oct. 25 exhibition game.