BERKELEY, California — The Northwestern State men's basketball team heads to the West Coast this weekend to face one of the top shooting teams in the nation as it takes on the California Golden Bears on Saturday at Haas Pavilion. 

Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. Central Standard Time on ACC NetworkX, which can be accessed through the ESPN app. The game can also be heard on the Demon Sports Network, flagshipped by 100.7 FM KZBL in Natchitoches. 

The Demons (2–7) enter the matchup riding momentum after a gritty 76–68 road win at Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday, earning their first conference victory of the season. 

After trailing most of the contest, NSU closed the final three minutes with poise, fueled by clutch shooting, free-throw execution and a late defensive stand. The Demons went a perfect 7-for-7 from the field in the final six minutes of play to complete the comeback in Hammond. 

Head coach Rick Cabrera said the win provided more than just a mark in the standings. 

"It gives us some much-needed practice time to continue getting better," Cabrera said. "I told our guys the most important thing is to focus on ourselves first, to keep improving, stay healthy and stay mentally locked in. Then we turn our attention to the opponent. We had a really good practice today gearing up for Cal. They're a very good team, and we're excited to head back out west." 

Justin Redmond paced the comeback with a career-high 17 points while Micah Thomas delivered a key 3-pointer in crunch time. Izzy Miles sealed the win with two late transition 3s and steady work at the line.  

Northwestern State shot 51 percent from the field, dominated the glass 36–25 and outscored Southeastern 37–16 off the bench in the victory. 

Redmond's scoring touch stood out even beyond the box score, including a falling, off-balance basket that tied the game late. 

"Justin is one of our most talented offensive guys," Cabrera said. "He has an ability to score the basketball at a high clip. He helped us win a big game. When that ball hit off the backboard and went in, it wasn't surprising because of how good his feel is at the rim." 

In their final non-conference road game of the season, the Demons step into a completely different challenge against a Golden Bears team that has turned Southland momentum into a national measuring stick opportunity. 

Northwestern State and California will meet for just the second time in program history following a Golden Bears win in last year's matchup.  

Cal claimed an 84–66 victory on Dec. 14, 2024, behind a dominant performance from Andrej Stojaković, who poured in 31 points on 10-for-14 shooting, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range. 

This season's Cal squad enters Saturday red-hot under third-year head coach Mark Madsen.  

The Golden Bears (9–1) carry a six-game winning streak and are a perfect 8–0 at Haas Pavilion, averaging just under 82 points per game on their home floor. 

Leading the way for Cal is junior guard Dai Dai Ames, who is pouring in 18.1 points per game while shooting an elite 51 percent from the field and 48 percent from 3-point range. As a team, the Golden Bears currently rank 50th nationally in 3-point shooting efficiency at 37.1 percent. 

"They're really good offensively," Cabrera said. "I think they're a little bit better this year than they were last year, but very similar. You've got to take care of the ball and understand where shooters are when you go on the road." 

For Northwestern State, the challenge will center on perimeter defense, transition control and rebounding consistency after showing significant growth in all three areas at Southeastern. The Demons held the Lions to just 16 percent shooting from deep, piled up 18 second-chance points and controlled tempo late in a true road environment. 

Miles' offense continues to trend upward as well, complementing his already-strong defensive impact. His two second-half 3-pointers helped stretch the lead during the closing run. 

"We need Izzy to be as consistent as he can be on the offensive end for our team to be successful," Cabrera said. "Those two 3s were in the best rhythm I've seen him shoot all year. We believe in him. He just has to continue to believe in himself." 

With six returners from last year's trip to Berkeley, the Demons will lean on experience as they face another nationally tested opponent. Promising to make every opportunity count, NSU embraces Saturday's matchup as another measuring-stick moment early in the season. 

"We try to win every game we play," Cabrera said. "We can win the game. We've been on the road pretty much the whole semester. You've just got to take care of the ball and be disciplined."