NATCHITOCHES—A sensational defense has been the calling card for Northwestern State this season.

That stingy defense by the Demons (5-7, 2-1) aims to help make it a three-game winning streak whey host in-state rival Nicholls (8-4, 1-2) on Saturday.

Tip-off is at 1 p.m. at Prather Coliseum and can be streamed on ESPN+.

Last game against McNeese, the defense kept the Demons in the game when Northwestern State was struggling to find its shot in the first half.

In both quarters, the Demons held the Cowboys below 30 percent shooting and just 26 total points in the first quarter.

While the Demons defense remained stifling throughout the contest, the offense picked it up, shooting nearly 60 percent in the second half and scoring 50 in the final 20 minutes to roll to a 15-point win.

In its first three league games, the Northwestern State defense has held teams to just 32.6 percent shooting and 51.3 points per game, both third in the SLC.

In addition to the strong overall field goal percentage defense, the Demons have only allowed opponents to make 11 3-pointers in the three league games and just 22 percent from deep, both of which are second in the conference.

That defense has a tough test in Nicholls' Tanita Swift, the leading scorer in the league. The junior, who averages 20 points per game in her three SLC games, is coming off her best scoring output of the season, pouring in 28 points.

"Nicholls is incredibly quick, incredibly athletic," head coach Anna Nimz said. "They are going want to get you in the full court, they are going to want to hard trap you. It's going to have to be a lot of pace and poise that we'll have to focus on. Our girls really showed that against McNeese, so it was a nice build-up to Saturday's game."

Despite Swift's 28 points, Nicholls could not hold onto a fourth quarter lead in its previous game at East Texas A&M on Thursday, falling 68-60.

Overall, Swift is the lone Colonel averaging in double figures. While she only attempts two 3-pointers per game, Swift is prolific when doing so, hitting them at a 45.8 percent clip.

Three Demons average in double figures, led by Mya Blake's 13.5.

Grad student Sharna Ayres have come on in the last two games, reaching at least 20 points in both contests, including 23 in the win over McNeese, draining a season-high six triples in the process.

After making just one of her first 13 triple tries in league play, she made six of 12 attempts in the victory, overtaking Blake for the team lead in made 3-pointers.

The Colonels rank in the middle of the pack and virtually every category, but do rank right behind the Demons in field goal percentage defense, ranking fourth in the league, limiting teams to 36.2 percent shooting.

The Demons have a one-game week this upcoming week, playing at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Thursday. Northwestern State returns to Prather Coliseum on Jan. 16 against New Orleans.