HAMMOND – Northwestern State is among seven teams scrambling for three Southland Conference Basketball Tournament berths entering the final three regular-season playing dates.
 
Southeastern Louisiana is not. The senior-laden Lions (14-14 overall, 10-5 in the conference) already have punched their ticket to Katy, Texas, for the March 13-16 tourney.
 
SLU dropped three nailbiters to open defense of its 2019 conference regular-season title, then won three close games to regain its footing before steadily dispatching the Demons 79-63 on Jan. 26 at Prather Coliseum. The Lions have won six of their last seven and 10 of their last 12, the latest a 75-66 victory in their most recent action, a week ago at second-place Abilene Christian.
 
The Demons (11-17, 6-9), winners in three of their last five, try to enhance their credentials for a trip to Katy when they visit the Lions in a 4 p.m. contest Saturday at the University Center. It follows a 1 p.m. women's game between the schools.
 
NSU's postseason fate will be decided next week at Nicholls and at home against Central Arkansas, two more of the squads still fighting to reach the eight-team tournament. A win Saturday would be a major leap forward for the Demons, who rallied in the last 10 minutes with a 25-9 run Wednesday to overcome Incarnate Word 68-60 at Prather Coliseum.
 
Saturday's matchup features an interior battle between the Southland's most productive big men, seniors Ishmael Lane for the Demons and Moses Greenwood of the Lions.
 
Greenwood is averaging 21.5 points and 9.4 rebounds in the last seven games, shooting 70 percent from the floor. He is part of a five-man senior class that also includes one of the most explosive scorers in league play, preseason first-team All-Southland guard Marlain Veal.
 
Lane, the league's rebounding leader in conference play (11.6 per game), has averaged 18.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, three blocked shots and hit 70 percent of his shots in the same span.
 
He will be playing about an hour away from his Port Allen home. Lane will move into third on NSU's career rankings on his next blocked shot (has 159), and with 1,428 points is nine away from cracking the Demons' all-time top 10 in scoring. His 812 rebounds stands eighth in school history.
 
NSU won Wednesday's contest with 25 combined points from wingmen DeAndre Love and LaTerrance Reed. In the earlier matchup against SLU, the Demons had only Lane in double-digits while the Lions got four with 10 or more, led by Veal with 21.
 
The victory over UIW was the first conference triumph on a Wednesday this season for NSU. The Demons have captured their last three Saturday contests, including road wins at UCA and McNeese.
 
Saturday's action, called by 14-year veteran announcer Patrick Netherton, can be heard on 100.7 FM KZBL and 103.1 KBDV FM on the Demon Sports Network. Streaming audio is available at www.NSUDemons.com/watch and through the new Northwestern State Athletics mobile app, which can be downloaded from the Apple Store or on Google Play. The contest can be viewed on the Southland Digital Network.
 
NSU goes to Nicholls next Wednesday, then hosts UCA next Saturday afternoon to finish the 32-game regular-season slate.