ABILENE, Texas – The Northwestern State basketball team has won five of its last seven games after last Saturday's 61-59 thriller at Stephen F. Austin.

That's hot. But then, there's Abilene Christian, which has won 15 of 18 this season.

The Demons measure up against the Wildcats at 6 Saturday night with ambitions of pulling another Southland Conference surprise.

NSU (7-10 overall) is 2-2 in conference play with all four games settled in the final minute by a total of 13 points, including the last two outings going down to the final buzzer and being decided by a combined three points.

ACU is tied for second in the 13-team Southland with a 4-1 record, while its overall win total is five games better than any other conference squad. The Wildcats have won six of their last seven, including a 75-68 victory at home Wednesday night over Houston Baptist.

Close games are also part of the ACU storyline. Two of their league wins and the only loss, 71-68 at league-leading Sam Houston State, were decided by a total of seven points.

The Wildcats have five team statistics ranked among the NCAA's top 25: 3-point aim (sixth, 41.4 percent), turnover margin (ninth, plus 4.9), steals per game (16^th, 8.9), field goal aim (23^rd, 49.1 percent) and scoring defense (also 23^rd, 63.6 points per game).

"It's a veteran team that has a tremendous coach in Joe Golding and players who have totally bought into their roles," said Demons' 20^th-year head coach Mike McConathy. "That's a foundation for great success."

ACU junior guard Peyton Ricks is averaging 12.4 points and 49 percent aim on 3-pointers, fourth nationally. Senior forward Jaren Lewis (13.1 points, 5.8 rebounds) and junior center Jalone Friday (13.7 points, 4.9 rebounds) are the other double-figure scorers, while senior guard Jaylen Franklin leads the Southland with 4.7 assists per game.

NSU has only one player, senior center Ishmael Lane, scoring in double digits (12.1 per game). Lane is snagging 7.6 rebounds per contest, an average that climbs to 10.0 in Southland competition, including the game-winning tip-in at SFA for his 10^th rebound in the Demons' last game.

Having an open date Wednesday allowed the Demons an extra day off this week and may have contributed to the expected return to the lineup of sophomore point guard C.J. Jones, who missed five games since a shoulder injury Dec. 18.

His return could give McConathy his full roster to work with for only the third time in the last 104 games, dating back to the start of the 2014-15 season. The sidelined players were point guards in 90 of the 101 short-handed games.

"We've progressively improved and we're looking forward to getting C.J. back in the fold," said McConathy. "We are playing a lot tougher basketball. There are some really tough teams in this league and we're about to line up against one of them, with more around the corner. We are also getting contributions from throughout the roster with guys stepping up at critical times."

NSU, which won at SFA despite its second-worst turnover total (23) of the season, has several benchmarks to meet in order to upset the Wildcats, said McConathy.

"We've got to limit our turnovers, do a good job of contesting shots, create some havoc so they can't do what they want to do possession after possession, and we have to be strong on the boards," he said. "We need to get the ball inside offensively, and get some good post play from Ishmael Lane, Larry Owens and Dalin Williams."

The Demons outrebounded the Lumberjacks 44-37 while handing SFA only its third homecourt loss in conference play since February 2012. NSU accounted for another one with a 72-67 triumph at SFA two years ago.

The Demons come home for two games next week, hosting Sam Houston State next Wednesday night and Southeastern Louisiana next Saturday afternoon.