HAMMOND—An impressive double-double from Vernell Atamah, as well as a dominant performance on the glass, lifted Northwestern State to a resounding 69-52 victory at Southeastern Louisiana in the Southland Conference opener.

Vernell Atamah continued her sensational season with her second consecutive double-double, scoring 22 points and grabbing 16 rebounds to help give the Demons (4-4, 1-0) their largest victory over SLU (2-5, 1-1) since 2017 and largest win in Hammond since 2002.

It was also its second win over the Lady Lions in the last 13 contests.

Atamah's 16 boards are the most since Jasmin Dixon also hauled down 16 last season against Central Arkansas.

"Today was such a great team win," head coach Anna Nimz said. "There were so many contributors. I'm incredibly proud of our group for how they defended and rebounded today. They locked in on their scout assignments and played relentless for 40 minutes. It was not perfect, but they were absolutely relentless with their overall effort."

On the glass, NSU out-rebounded SLU 30-9 in the first half and 47-26 for the game.

The Demons collected 22 offensive rebounds, their most since grabbing 24 against East Texas A&M in the regular season finale last season.

Those offensive boards led to 28 second chance points.

Atamah did not waste much time securing her double-double, needing just one quarter to do so with 10 points and 10 rebounds, including hauling down eight offensive boards.

The Lady Lions came out shooting well, as Aliyah Collins scored 10 of her game-high 23 points, as SLU led 14-13 after one quarter.

Despite shooting just 5-of-23 overall and 0-of-7 from deep in the quarter, NSU trailed by just one due to 12 offensive rebounds, attempting nearly double the shots as the Lady Lions.

Down 14-8, NSU took control, as Atamah scored four of the final five points to cut it to 14-13 before dominating the second period.

Tied at 20-20, the Demons exploded on a 15-2 run to take control, as Tiara Abron scored six of her season-high 18 points.

The Demons shot 59 percent in the second quarter, as NSU outscored SLU 24-10 in the period to build a 37-24 advantage at halftime.

NSU maintained a double-double digit lead the remainder of the game, as the visitors led by as many as 22 before it finished at a 17-point victory.

Even when the Lady Lions made a run to cut the deficit to 10, the Demons always had an answer.

A pair of free throws from Erynn Williams cut the NSU advantage to 10 late in the third, but an Atamah free throw made at an 11-point lead at the end of three before the Demons blitzed the home team out of the gate in the fourth, scoring 13 of the first 15 points of the period to build a 65-43 lead and SLU never threatened again.

The run was spearheaded by Atamah, Abron and Clarence Djuela, who scored a career-high 12 points, falling just two rebounds shy of her first career double-double.

Carla Celaya nearly recorded her second consecutive double-double, posting 10 points and nine rebounds.

NSU forced 17 turnovers in the game, the most against a Division I foe since also forcing 17 at Kansas earlier this season. The Demons scored 24 points off those 17 miscues.

The Demons take another week off before another big road test Dec. 15 at McNeese before playing their final non-conference match against Texas two days later.