NACOGDOCHES, Texas—A rivalry is renewed as Northwestern State heads to Nacogdoches to battle rival Stephen F. Austin on Saturday at William R. Johnson Coliseum.

Tip-off is at 2 p.m. The game is being aired on ESPN+.

The Demons (8-8, 5-2) visit SFA (14-5, 4-4) for the first time since the Ladyjacks return to the Southland Conference, aiming to bounce back from a close loss last time out to league-leading Southeastern Louisiana.

"We are taking on two of the league's premier teams this week," head coach Anna Nimz said. "SFA returning the Southland is exciting and we are ready to get after them on Saturday. They are a storied program with a lot of success. We know we have to be ready to compete at our best for 40."

The Demons aim to continue how the last game finished, as they almost fought back from an 18-point halftime deficit and cut it to four before falling.

The reigning SLC Player of the Week Vernell Atamah is fresh off back-to-back games with at least 20 points, including a massive 29-point, 11-rebound performance in the win over New Orleans last Thursday.

Atamah's 50 total points the last two games are the best two-game stretch for any Demon since Beatrice Attura dropped 55 points in a two-game stretch in March 2017.

In each game, she reached the 20-point mark along with one other player, Sharna Ayres (20) against New Orleans, and Mya Blake (20) against SLU.

Atamah's weekly honor was the second one for the Demons in three weeks, as Blake won it two weeks ago after a sweep of in-state rivals McNeese and Nicholls.

Atamah's 18.1 points per game during SLC play is tops in the league and her 7.1 rebounds per game is seventh in the conference.

The Ladyjacks have dropped three of their last four, but the three losses have come by a combined 13 points, including close losses to SLU and Lamar, the two undefeated teams in the conference.

At home, SFA is 6-1 with five of the six victories coming by double figures and the lone loss was a close game against SLU.

Expect many 3-pointers to be attempted, as two of the top 61 teams nationally in triple tries meet. The Ladyjacks attempt nearly 26 triples per game and make nine per game during SLC play. Not only does SFA shoot a lot of 3-pointers, it is sixth in the country in 3-point percentage, shooting 38.5 percent from deep.

Six Ladyjacks players have made at least 17 3-pointers this season, and four of them make triples at a 41.9 percent clip or better. Avery VanSickle leads the group, having made 48 of 102 attempts for a 47.1 percent, which is seventh nationally.

Harmanie Dominguez also ranks in the top 50 in 3-point percentage, ranking 40^th at a 42.0 percent clip.

The Demons have four of their own with at least 16 made 3-pointers, led by Ayres' 33. Blake is right behind her at 32. Blake shoots it at nearly 37 percent from deep.

It is strength vs. strength, as the Ladyjacks score 75.5 points per game during league play, while the Demons are second in the conference at opponents points per game at 53.1 points per game.

The Demons are back in action Monday in the rescheduled contest at Lamar. Tip-off is at 4 p.m. Northwestern State returns to Prather Coliseum on Jan. 30 when it welcomes SLC newcomer UTRGV to Natchitoches.