DALLAS, Texas -- After a season opener in which Northwestern State topped the 100-point mark and drained 14 3-pointers, the Demons will hope that offense travels well as NSU heads to SMU on Thursday.
 
The 7 p.m. contest in Moody Coliseum can be watched on ESPN3 or heard on the Demon Sports Radio Network with veteran play-by-play announcer Patrick Netherton on the call.
 
NSU (1-0) will face a Mustangs' squad (0-0) that hits the floor for the first time after a 17-16 mark in 2017-18.
 
SMU returns nine players and four starters, including senior guards Jahmal McMurray (14.7 points per game) and Jarrey Foster (13.2 points, 5.9 rebounds per game).
 
The Demons will face SMU for the second time in as many seasons after the Mustangs won 81-35 this past season. NSU is 0-5 all-time against SMU.
 
But NSU flashed its traditional style of play Tuesday in a 102-62 win against NCAA Division III Centenary with five double-digit scorers and 10 players in double-digit minutes.
 
NSU shot nearly 49 percent from the field and 14-of-27 from distance as the Demons scored 100 points for the first time in three seasons. The Demons are coming off a season in which they averaged just 64 points per game.
 
"We'll take that (offensive performance) any day of the week that we can get it," said McConathy, who has started his 20^th season at NSU. "We were counting on (senior post Ishmael Lane) to get his (15 points, six rebounds, five blocks), but we got a lot from (guards) John Norvel (14 points), Vonte Ott (14 points on 5-of-5 shooting) and C.J. Jones (11 points and five assists).
 
"The speed of the game will be very fast (at SMU), but some of our bigs will have a better opportunity to match up against their bigs. We had to guard down against Centenary, and I thought that's one of the reasons we struggled with Centenary taking the ball to the bucket."
 
SMU features nine players who are 6-foot-5 or taller, which could create opportunities for NSU to penetrate the Mustangs perimeter defense, possibly opening driving lanes to the rim or passing lanes for 3-point attempts.
 
The Demons shot under 25 percent against Mustangs this past season.
 
But new faces like junior transfer LaTerrance Reed (15 points Tuesday) and Alex Comanita (nine points) could help bolster an offense in which players like Ott and Jones have improved their shooting.
 
The offense still begins with Lane, an All-Southland Conference selection who is an inside and outside scoring threat.
 
"Comanita hit three shots in a row, and that was big since he's only practiced five days since coming off an injury," McConathy said. "We also played with encouragement and enthusiasm from the bench, and I'm pleased with the effort and camaderie from this team.
 
"The guys not in the game were really engaged, and that's really important to the system we run."