NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State begins its final home weekend of the season with another key game on Thursday night.
 
The Demons (10-16, 6-9) secured their spot in the Southland Conference Tournament with a win at HCU this past Saturday. But with four teams all within one place of each other in the conference standings, matchups, and perhaps more importantly, momentum can be gained starting on Thursday.
 
NSU hosts Nicholls (13-14, 7-8), one of two teams currently tied for the fifth seed in the tournament, at 6:30 p.m. in Prather Coliseum. Thursday's game is a Blackout night for the Demons and their fans with the first 50 fans who enter receiving a free T-shirt. All fans are encouraged to wear black shirts to the game.
 
The goal against the Colonels will be much the same as it has been for the past several weeks and what it was in the first meeting between the two teams 28 days ago – ball security.
 
NSU turned the ball over 20 times in the game in Thibodaux, including a costly one on its final possession down by one point, and before Saturday's game at HCU had more than 15 turnovers in four straight games. The Demons lost all four of those games.
 
Against the Huskies, the Demons had their second lowest turnover total since the middle of January with 13 and came away with the 64-55 win. It was the fifth win in seven conference games this year when NSU has turned the ball over 15 times or fewer.
 
"It's something we talk about in practice, something we work on in practice and do all the things," head coach Anna Nimz said about ball security. "We teach and reteach and watch film but at the end of the day it's something we have to get done on the court. We have a goal every game we want to meet and for the first time in five games we did that. There's a direct correlation there. The more chances you have to score, the better your odds are of winning the game."
 
Even with the higher-than-preferred turnover totals, the Demons have been in games deep into the fourth quarter throughout the conference schedule. A three-point loss at Nicholls with, a seven-point game at Southeastern, a five-point game against A&M-Corpus Christi, another eight-point game against Southeastern in Natchitoches were all games the Demons lost and ones where they had 18 or more giveaways.
 
The Colonels turned their opportunities into 19 points against NSU in the first meeting, something that is now baked into their DNA under first-year head coach Justin Payne.
 
"Those kids are bought in to what Coach Payne is doing down there and they are working hard," Nimz said. "I think their biggest skill set is how tough they are and just how gritty they are. We lost by three down there but we gave away a ton of points and that's hard to come back from. But to give that many points away and still only lose by three means we're doing a lot of things right. We've just got to limit those turnovers because they are a team that absolutely capitalizes on them."
 
Prior to the late second dramatics that led to a Nicholls win, the Demons nearly had their way with the Colonel defense with assists on 60 percent of their made shots in the game. Karmelah Dean scored 13 points with four assists and Jiselle Woodson added four more helpers and one of five players with more than eight points in the game.
 
Nicholls was led then and continues to be propelled by one of the best sophomores in the conference in Lexi Alexander. She had 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting against the Demons and is fresh off a 28-point, 15-rebound performance in their win against Texas A&M-Commerce.
 
She was named Southland Player of the Week after averaging a double-double on the week. She has turned in three double-doubles in the past four games, just missing four straight with nine rebounds against UIW a week ago Thursday.
 
Containing Alexander will be near the top of the Demons' game keys for a win on Thursday, that and controlling the ball against a feisty Colonel defense.
 
"All year it has been about committing to fixing us," Nimz said. "We've had some good practices so far this week. We have to go into Thursday with confidence and know that we have to come in and get that game and split with them. They're a great team and they're going to bring it."