NATCHITOCHES – The only thing that remains the same from the Northwestern State men's basketball team's season openers of the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns is the opponent.
 
For the second straight season, the Demons open their season at Prather Coliseum against Dallas Christian at 6:30 p.m. Monday on ESPN+, but they do so with much more cohesion and comfort.
 
"It is odd, but in the scheduling process we threw out some schools, and they're the ones who came back immediately," second-year head coach Rick Cabrera said. "With non-(Division) Is, you don't want to mess with those games because they are so valuable to get under your belt. They asked to come back again. We accepted their offer, and it's go time again for Dallas Christian and Northwestern State."
 
Cabrera's second Northwestern roster features four returning players – four times the number he had a year ago when the Demons started the season.
 
Two of those players – guard Chris Mubiru and center J.C. Riley Jr. --- earned valuable playing time in their freshman seasons and established themselves as key pieces for the Demons.
 
"It's definitely different," Mubiru said of opening his second collegiate season. "My role is different, and I have more of a role than I did last year. At the end of the day, I'm just trying to lead the guys as much as I can and help us win games."
 
The pair's growth, along with the return of JT Warren from an early season injury that cut his season short on Nov. 18, have Cabrera feeling good about his returning core.
 
"JT brings elite energy," Cabrera said. "He's the Justin Wilson of our team from an energy standpoint and holding guys accountable. It's not always coming from us coaches. It's coming from him. Chris Mubiru has been phenomenal. He's a tough wing who can play multiple positions. He guards. He rebounds. I've been so impressed with Chris.
 
"J.C. Riley has been phenomenal. He's been playing through an injury, but he's such a tough kid that you can't tell he's injured. We're excited with the guys we have returning. I know what I'm going to get out of them."
 
As Dallas Christian (0-4) enters Monday with a handful of games under its belt, Northwestern's roster has much more Division I experience than it did a season ago.
 
Five of the Demons' 11 newcomers have spent at least one season at another Division I institution.
 
"That was the focus – to have a balanced recruiting class," Cabrera said. "You have guys – as the younger generation would say – who were in the trenches from a Division I realm. They know how important these games are. They've played in them and been a part of it. That's a good mesh with our junior college guys and freshmen who have been very impressive."
 
That previous D-I experience also helped the quintet of Love Bettis (Florida A&M/North Carolina A&T), Lado Laku (Arkansas State/Cal State Fullerton/Texas A&M-Corpus Christi), Micah Thomas (Indiana State/Nicholls), Addison Patterson (Oregon/Nevada) and Jon Sanders II (Coastal Carolina) acclimate quickly to their new surroundings.
 
"We came in with some experience, and that helps implement things quicker," Bettis said.
 
Regardless of classification or status among the program, the Demon coaches and players share the same sentiment for Monday night's season opener.
 
"It's our first game," Mubiru said. "We're going to be excited and come out hot. Even though it's not a Division I opponent, we're still going to go as hard as we can."