NATCHITOCHES – As Northwestern State enters the final game of the regular season, the building blocks for the program continue to fall into place, even after reminders that it is still a process to get there.
 
The Lady Demons (11-13, 4-9) used the extra time without a Thursday game this week to watch film, but not of themselves or their opponent. They saw the energy and effort that established program teams play with from start to finish on both ends of the floor, something they aspire to see on a consistent basis in the very near future.
 
"I want to see them genuinely fight for 40 minutes," head coach Anna Nimz said about what she wants to see in her team's final regular season game on Saturday. "I don't expect it to be perfect basketball, but our lulls are happening because our energy dips, our focus dips, our poise dips and we're this far into the season that we've got to show up. 
 
"We've got to show up and play with intense passion for the entire game. True growth is going to see them put together 40 minutes of all-out effort and however that turns out I'm ok with."
 
NSU hosts Southeastern in the final game prior to the conference tournament, looking for that full-out effort and to potentially play spoiler. While the Lady Demons are locked into the six position regardless of the outcome, the Lady Lions (14-9, 10-3) could claim a share of the regular season title and potential top seed in the tournament with a win.
 
Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. and can be seen on www.nsudemons.com/watch with free streaming audio also available on the NSU Athletics mobile app, a free download in either the Apple or Google stores. The game can also be heard locally on 95.9 FM Kix Country.
 
The Lady Demons have a recent example how a slow or sluggish start can play a major role in the outcome of the game.
 
In this past Saturday's loss to New Orleans, the first quarter lacked the sharpness the other three did and ultimately led to a frustrating 72-64 loss to one of NSU's potential opponents in next week's tournament.

The Lady Demons will face the winner of Saturday's Nicholls/New Orleans game in the first round in Katy.
 
"We have to show up," Nimz said. "We have to show up and that's where we lack some of that maturity and poise and understanding that wins are hard. They're hard no matter how good you are, and they're hard to come by. You have to come out ready to go and they (UNO) had some girls that really came out gunning. It just took way too long for our girls to decide the play."
 
It was the second quarter that cost NSU in the first meeting with Southeastern back in mid-January. A scoring drought on offense and a light's out shooting display by the Lions made the game a runaway after the first 20 minutes.
 
That was then and now the Lady Demons have added back into their cupboard some more size that continues to perform well and will undoubtedly play a factor.
 
Alecia Whyte played just six minutes in the game in Hammond, just her second game back from being cleared to play. It was the first game for the Lady Demons after starting point guard Karmelah Dean's injury and Sharna Ayres was still in a walking boot as well.
 
Two of those three will likely start in the game on Saturday and not only provide more size but production as well. Whyte is averaging 10.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in the past four games and Ayres scored a career-high 11 points and grabbed six rebounds in the win against Nicholls.
 
"The first time we played them we were incredibly undersized in that bottom area of the zone," Nimz said. "But I feel like we came out a little timid and reserved so I'm hoping that with these pieces back in the lineup not only do we match up better with them but that we're hungry. No matter who steps in the gym it's about us showing up. We've got to get to that point where we start showing up consistently."