HAMMOND – The Northwestern State men's basketball team turns the page quickly as it heads to Hammond for a matchup at Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday, continuing Southland Conference play and seeking to bounce back from an SLC-opening loss at McNeese.

Tipoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+. The game also can be heard on the Demon Sports Network, flagshipped by 100.7 FM KZBL in Natchitoches.

NSU (1–7, 0–1) opened league action Friday with a 92–54 setback in Lake Charles, a game where the Demons struggled to match McNeese's early pace. The Cowboys opened on a 13–0 run and controlled the night with paint scoring, transition pressure, and a heavy rebounding edge.

Even in the loss, several Demons delivered meaningful stretches.

Justin Redmond posted a career night with a personal-best 15 points on 6-for-13 shooting, adding four assists and three steals.

Izzy Miles provided the biggest spark of the game, fueling a 13–1 second-half run with a three-point play, a transition 3 and steady downhill pressure.

Chris Mubiru added energy on both ends with shot-making and rebounding that helped NSU briefly chip into the deficit.

Head coach Rick Cabrera said the group's response, especially from its returners and emerging scorers, will be crucial heading into Sunday's matchup.

"You do a lot of talking to your team, but when you have six guys returning, this has to mean something," says Cabrera. "It has to be important, so the guys that weren't here understand what this means. We're the only conference in the country playing 22 league games. Three-quarters of our season is conference play, so it's huge to have those six guys back."

Southeastern (3–5, 0–0) enters the matchup coming off a 69–65 win over Navy at the Live Oak Bank Holiday Classic in Wilmington, North Carolina.

The Lions are anchored by sophomore forward Jeremy Elyzee, the 2024-25 SLC Freshman of the Year, who powers their interior attack by averaging 10.6 points per game on 46.5 percent shooting.

Cabrera said the Lions' identity under long-time head coach David Kiefer has remained one of consistency and toughness.

"During his tenure, even before I got here, I followed him," Cabrera said. "He's been the most consistent coach in regard to how his teams are. His teams are good enough to beat you. They're very well-coached. In that atmosphere, it's always tough to win. We got a win there last year, but we're looking forward to a dogfight. Very comparable teams, and we're just looking to have fun and come out with a victory."