NATCHITOCHES – JT Warren's numbers in his second season at Northwestern State are not too dissimilar from his injury-shortened first season.
 
His impact, however, runs much deeper.
 
Warren will be the lone senior honored during the Demons' Senior Day ceremony ahead of Monday night's 6:30 p.m. regular-season and Southland Conference finale against Incarnate Word at Mike McConathy Court at Prather Coliseum. The game will air on ESPN+.
 
"JT's been through a lot since his sophomore year of junior college in regard to injuries," second-year head coach Rick Cabrera said. "He's played through injuries from then until he's gotten here. His toughness and tenacity, on a scale of one to 10, has been on a 12. He comes in every day, doesn't complain, doesn't sit out, doesn't ask not to play. He's in pain with every step and every jump he makes. Monday's going to be a special day for him."
 
Warren's points per game are down slightly from 5.2 to 4.4 while his rebounds have increased from 2.5 per game to 2.7 in fewer minutes.
 
His importance to the Demons (14-15, 11-8), who have won four more conference games than a season ago and five more overall, is measured in comparison to a staple of Cabrera's first Demon squad.
 
"I always say Justin Wilson was our guy last year," Cabrera said. "JT filled that role to where it seemed like Justin never left. If we don't have him as a locker room guy – and in some games where he played well – I don't know if we get over the hump in some of those games. He's such a positive dude, always encouraging, always helping the coaching staff. He's been there for us and for his teammate whenever we needed him. He's a staple to our success."
 
Cabrera has said he knows what he will get from Warren, but what few know is where the Demons will wind up in the conference tournament, which begins March 9 with two first-round games featuring the Nos. 5-8 seeds.
 
Northwestern is tied with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for fifth place with the Islanders holding the tiebreaker because of their victory against the Demons in January.
 
Both teams are one game behind Southeastern Louisiana for fourth place, which would secure that team a first-round bye and allow them to start tournament play Monday evening.
 
There are myriad scenarios at play for Northwestern to earn a bye – none of which happen without a win against the Cardinals (16-14, 9-10), who have won four straight games to move into the conference tournament.
 
"They have a professional backcourt in (Jalin) Anderson and (Davion) Bailey," Cabrera said. "They have some other good players who complement those guys. Their coach (Shane Heirman) is doing a phenomenal job. They score the ball. They're defending well right now."
 
In order to secure its second first-round bye in the past three seasons, Northwestern needs to win its home finale and have one of eight different combinations of victories across the conference play out.
 
There are four combinations that would land the Demons the No. 5 seed while 20 different combinations exist to where Northwestern lands the No.6 seed.
 
The fifth-seeded team tips off the conference tournament at 5 p.m. while the Nos. 6-7 teams will play the Sunday finale.
 
"There's a lot at stake for us in regards to a bye," Cabrera said. "We need some help. We put ourselves in that position in that aspect. We're grateful for getting it. When you get in, it's about matchups, especially when you're seeded from five down.
 
"We have to understand the assignment. Our thought of the day for the week has been to finish the job. There are phases in finishing the job. It's finishing the regular season so we can get a good seed. The second part is finishing the job in the Southland Conference Tournament. If we can finish the job at home on Senior Night, it will give us great momentum going into the tournament."