NATCHTIOCHES – Coming off consecutive down-to-the-wire finishes, the Northwestern State men's basketball team wraps up the City of Lights Classic on Sunday when it hosts North Alabama.
 
Although the teams are meeting for first time In program history at 2 p.m. on ESPN+ inside Prather Coliseum, there are some ties between the Lions and Demons.
 
"(North Alabama) coach (Tony) Pujol is a great friend, who I've known a long time," second-year coach Rick Cabera said. "He's of Cuban descent, so we both have that Latin background. He does a heck of a job coaching the game of basketball. They've got some really good players, and it will be great to have him here."
 
In addition to the shared heritage for both coaches, the Lions (3-2) bring a player with northwest Louisiana ties back closer to home.
 
North Alabama's Daniel Ortiz is a Shreveport product who played at Southwood High School and Calvary Baptist Academy. A senior, Ortiz returned to the Lions after a season at UAB.
 
"When he got in the portal, I tried to recruit him, but it was a done deal that he was going back to where he started," Cabrera said. "He's a big-time shooter. He's going to have some fans here since he's coming back home. I'm guessing Tony scheduled that for him. We're excited to have a great atmosphere and something we can grow on from a scheduling standpoint."
 
While Ortiz will have a bit of a hometown feel, Jacari Lane has been the driving force for the Lions, averaging 21.4 points per game while shooting 43.8 percent from 3-point range.
 
Stopping Lane will be at the forefront of the Demons' defensive plans. Through five games, Northwestern (1-4) has flashed its defensive abilities at times but is in search of consistency at that end of the floor.
 
The Demons lead the Southland Conference in blocked shots, swatting 5 per game. Individually, junior Jerald Colonel paces the league with three rejections per game.
 
However, Northwestern has seen late baskets decide its past two games.
 
"We've got to get this team to be tough-minded defensively," Cabrera said. "The numbers will show we can, holding a team to 40 percent. Every opponent we've played, I think, with the exception of Texas Tech has been in the low 40s or below 40, but they scored crucial baskets."