NATCHITOCHES—Following a week in which she averaged 31 points per game, Mya Blake and Northwestern State welcomes UTRGV to Prather Coliseum on Thursday in a big contest in the crowded Southland Conference standings.

Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m. and can be viewed on ESPN+.

The Demons (8-10, 5-4) have dropped three straight to arguably the top three teams in the league, but have had a chance to win late in all three, including the last two, which have come down to closing seconds at Stephen F. Austin and Lamar.

In the last two games, Blake averaged 31 points, 5.5 assists and five rebounds per contest, earning honorable mention SLC Player of the Week, despite the two tough defeats.

"Mya is a contagious kid," head coach Anna Nimz said. "She is one of the best point guards I have ever coached. She is a little unicorn. She is great on the court and an on-the-court captain and quietly tries to make everybody better, leading the freshmen and constantly tries to put everybody in a good position. At the end of the day, she wants to win and she knows how to put the team on her shoulders."

While Blake stole the show offensively, the defense held two of the conference's best offenses to just 33.1 percent shooting overall and 20 percent shooting from deep.

Last time out, the 59 points were the fewest Lamar scored since scoring 52 in a loss to Cleveland State on Nov. 30. The overall shooting percentage is the worst output of the season for the Cardinals and only the loss to CSU (1-for-13) was worse from 3-point land.

After that performance against the 3-point shot, the Demons are now tops in the country in 3-point defense, allowing teams to shoot just 23.4 percent against them.

The overall defense is nearly as good, surrendering just 35.7 percent from the field, which is 18^th nationally.

Against SFA the game previous to that, the Demons held the high-powered Ladyjacks offense to just 67 and a great shooting team to just 36.7 percent shooting overall and 26.1 percent from deep. It was the first time an opponent has held SFA below 40 percent shooting all season.

"We're one of the top teams in several defensive categories for a reason," Nimz said. "They are disciplined and they've bought in to the defensive philosophy. Mya has done such a tremendous job on that end of the court. The strides she has made since July defensively is just crazy. What she is doing is elite."

The Vaqueros (10-11, 5-5) have lost three of the last four, but they have been right with their opponents in every single loss during the stretch. They dropped their last game 58-50 at Nicholls.

UTRGV is led by one of the best rebounders in the entire country, Charlotte O'Keefe, who averages a double-double both in all games as well as in SLC contests. The third leading rebounder in the NCAA hauls down 15 rebounds per game during conference play, which is far and away the tops in the league.

Expect a number of 3-pointers to be attempted in the game, as UTRGV ranks 41^st nationally in triple tries (24.7), while Northwestern State is 63^rd (23.3).

The Demons are coming off a game in which they made 10 3-pointers, the fourth time they have made double digit 3-pointers this season and first since Nov. 16 at Tarleton State.

It is the first game for Nimz against her former school, as she came to Northwestern State after being an associate head coach at UTRGV for two seasons under head coach Lane Lord. She also coached as a graduate assistant under him at Pittsburg State.

"I owe a lot to Coach Lord," Nimz said. "He gave me my first start as a GA and he let me be really hands-on with scouts and being on the coaching side of it.

"He let me be really involved in scouts and in practice and allowed me to grow and has always allowed his staff members to grow within. He is a very good leader, in that regard, and then gave my first run at Division I at UTRGV and allowed me to be really hands-on in his program. I am incredibly grateful."

Following the game, the Demons hit the road for three straight contests, starting Saturday when they travel to East Texas A&M for their first of two meetings this season with the Lions.