NATCHITOCHES – In Northwestern State's most recent home men's basketball game, the Demons got production and support from everyone and everywhere.
 
"I really want to commend the student section," first-year head coach Corey Gipson said. "They were so rowdy. They were so into the game. They were the sixth man of the game. Our guys really fed off it. When the foul was called on big (Jordan) Wilmore, the crowd actually erupted. I thought the roof was going to come off the building. That's something we can build on."
 
Gipson's Demons (7-2) have been building a six-game win streak for the better part of the past month and are in position to match the best 10-game start in 70 years when they host ULM (3-6) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday inside Prather Coliseum.
 
The game, which follows the women's game between ULM and NSU, can be seen on ESPN+.
 
NSU's six-game surge has produced a pair of Southland Conference Player of the Week honors for senior guard DeMarcus Sharp, who also picked up a pair of national player of the week awards (Lou Henson, Mid-Major Madness) for his consecutive 30-plus-point games in wins at Stephen F. Austin (Dec. 1) and against Southern Miss (Dec. 4).
 
It was Sharp who hit the buzzer-beating step-back jumper to hand Southern Miss its first loss of the season, but he had plenty of help.
 
Sophomore Reggie Hill had his second straight double-figure scoring performance that included a pivotal game-tying 3-pointer that evened the game at 73 in the second half. Hill added a career highs of six rebounds and four steals against the Golden Eagles in arguably his best all-around performance as a Demon.
 
"Reggie's an ultra-talented player," Gipson said. "We knew that going into it. Reggie has started to hone in on watching more film and paying close attention to detail. When that happens, the game slows down. When the game slows down and you're talented, you can own the game. Reggie has learned to make adjustments in real time. That's the maturation phase guys go through throughout a year.
 
"You have seasons within a season. Throughout the season, he's made adjustments that some people can't unless they start studying the game."
 
Hill's past two games have given credence to Gipson's claims.
 
An Eastern Florida State College transfer, Hill scored a career-high 17 points in the Demons' 102-96 win at Stephen F. Austin on Dec. 1. He followed that by logging a career-high 32 minutes against Southern Miss, growing ever more comfortable in his role and his performance.
 
"One night I was in my room thinking, 'What do I want to do after this – how far to do I want to go in this sport?'" Hill said. "It just motivated me to want to go harder. It just clicked."
 
Hill also acknowledged the impact the Demons' team chemistry has played in his improved comfort level.
 
"We're a brotherhood," Hill said. "Having that brotherhood gives you a lot of confidence. You're able to make mistakes and bounce back. Having that comfort level changed the switch in my head to go harder in games, and now I have a better outcome."
 
The visiting Warhawks are the second straight Sun Belt Conference opponent for Northwestern State, which wraps up the home portion of its non-conference schedule.
 
ULM's conference affiliation is not the only similarity the Warhawks have with Southern Miss in Gipson's eyes.
 
"Both teams are extremely talented," Gipson said. "Both teams have size. Both teams like to play inside out and through their posts. Teams that play inside-out like to get the matchups they like inside the paint. There are different ways to do it.
 
"We like to get scores and shots in the paint. We just do it in a non-traditional way. Number 1, like we always say, we're focused on Northwestern State and No. 2, we'll dive into ULM. First and foremost, though, the next couple of days it's about Northwestern State."