NATCHITOCHES – With four words, Larry Owens may have saved the Northwestern State men's basketball team's season.
 
During a timeout at Southeastern Louisiana on Jan. 23, Owens told his teammates simply, "Guys, we are good." The Demons took head of Owens words and righted the ship and walked out of the University Center with a five-point win that started a six-game win streak.
 
As Northwestern State prepares for Saturday's 3 p.m. return game against Southeastern Louisiana in Prather Coliseum, it finds itself in a similar situation, having seen its season-long win streak end on Wednesday night.
 
The game can be heard on 95.9 FM and the Demon Sports Network. Free streaming audio is available through www.NSUDemons.com and the Northwestern State Athletics mobile app, which can be downloaded free for Apple and Android devices.
 
"I heard something last night, 'You can't dwell on it. You've just got to fix it,'" 22^nd-year head coach Mike McConathy said. "Moving forward is fixing it and getting ready for our next opponent, Southeastern Louisiana, who is playing really good basketball right now."
 
In the earlier meeting between the teams, the Demons (8-15, 7-5) raced to a 21-point lead only to see the Lions (7-14, 5-7) come all the way back to take a pair of leads in the final 4:38 of the game.
 
That's when Owens uttered a one-liner that McConathy said held more gravitas than if it had come from a member of the Demon coaching staff.
 
"What he was trying to say was, 'Guys, we've got this. We just have to be who we are,'" McConathy said. "We needed to take the ability we have and gather together and be we, not me. Be successful. I'm very excited about that moment."
 
Since holding off the Lions, the Demons have developed an identity typical of a McConathy-coached team.
 
Ten different Demons have scored in double figures this season and five have eclipsed the 20-point barrier. Three different Demons – Trenton Massner, Larry Owens and Carvell Teasett – have topped 20 points in conference play.
 
Jovan Zelenbaba became the ninth Demon to reach double figures in a Southland game this season on Wednesday, setting career highs in points (16) and rebounds (seven) against Stephen F. Austin.
 
"We continue to improve and get better," McConathy said. "We're getting it from a lot of different places. We're finding ways to score, to rebound, to get blocked shots. Different people are doing it every night."
 
The Lions have split their past four games, dropping two straight after climbing to .500 in conference play.
 
While the Demons have clinched a spot in next month's Southland Conference Tournament in Katy, Texas, the Lions are part of a group of three teams with five conference wins -- joining Incarnate Word and New Orleans – that sit jumbled between fifth and seventh place among tournament-eligible teams.
 
Southeastern Louisiana features the Southland's top free throw shooter in terms of attempts in leading scorer Keon Clergeot, who gets to the line an average of 7.4 times per game while averaging 15.7 points per game.
 
"They are a well-coached team who have some excellent pieces," McConathy said. "They are excellent from the line and shoot the 3 ball well. We really need to lock in and be prepared on Saturday."