NATCHITOCHES – After its longest road trip of the season in terms of both games and miles, the Northwestern State men's basketball team makes a quick stop at Prather Coliseum for its final non-conference home game of the 2024-25 season.
 
Friday's 1 p.m. ESPN+ matinee matchup with Southern-New Orleans stands as the Demons' lone home game of December. The businessman's special also has a holiday theme as the Northwestern athletic department is collecting toys to be distributed to the Boys and Girls Club.
 
Additionally, there will be a Christmas sweater competition with prizes awarded in various categories.
 
As for the game, it is not only the lone home game of the month for the Demons (4-6) it will be just the third in the past 13 days for Northwestern.
 
"Rest is crucial at this time of the year," second-year head coach Rick Cabrera said. "The NCAA allows us to have our guys in the summer, and it's beneficial for us, but I'm also torn on it. You have them for the summer and then they come back in mid-to-late August, and you have them August, September, October and November. We need rest. We need time away from each other. We need to rejuvenate ourselves. These guys have been getting after it, focusing on the next game at hand."
 
Friday's matchup finds the Demons (4-6) in between matchups with power conference foes California and Texas.
 
Northwestern fell to California, 84-66, on Dec. 14 and will face Texas in Austin on Dec. 29. Amid those matchups is the second meeting with SUNO (5-8) in as many seasons.
 
The Demons took last season's matchup, 99-75, despite a 30-point, 15-rebound double-double performance from SUNO forward Jamal Gibson.
 
Gibson is back, averaging 20.3 points and 15.1 rebounds per game for the Knights, who have won three straight games – all against HBCU Athletic Conference foes.
 
"Jamal Gibson's a good player," Cabrera said. "In his last game, he had 31 points and 27 rebounds. He has an unorthodox game, and I say that as a compliment. He's productive. At the end of the day, that's what it's about – being productive. They have a couple of other good players. We're going to treat this like a Division I game – focus on winning it and doing it the right way."
 
That includes finding some semblance of consistency.
 
"That's been the thing about us in the first semester," Cabrera said. "One great thing is our dept. One thing – I wouldn't say it's bad – we need certain guys to show me what I'm going to get out of them every single night. A couple of guys have trended that way and stayed that way – Jon Sanders, Willie Williams, JT Warren, and I'm probably forgetting a couple others. Some of the other guys, I need to see what I'm going to get from you. You can't be an enigma of a player this time of the year, especially going into conference."
 
Twice in the past three games, Sanders has recorded a career high in assists with six while remaining the Demons' leading scorer. Williams has delivered both double-doubles on the Northwestern roster this season. Warren has been a key cog off the bench – a unit that averages 28.8 points per game, fourth most in the Southland Conference.
 
As the Demons search for consistency, they have one focus for Friday.
 
"We don't take any game lightly – I can promise you that," Cabrera said. "That's not cliché talk. The tough approach is to keep your players locked in. We have a thought of the day that changes daily. Earlier this week, it was to be a better player than you were yesterday. Focus on being better and not worry about who we play. Then, you can go home and have some fun with your family."