HOUSTON, Texas — The Northwestern State men's basketball team heads back on the road Monday night with another chance to do what it has made a habit of doing for years: survive, respond, and fight deep into games that feel a lot like March.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Sharp Gymnasium on ESPN+, with radio coverage available on the Demon Sports Network, flagshipped by 100.7 FM KZBL in Natchitoches.

Northwestern State (6-12, 4-5) enters the matchup against the HCU Huskies coming off a gut-punch 76–74 loss at UIW, a game in which the Demons surrendered a 13-point second-half lead to a Cardinals team that had been undefeated at home.

NSU's Izzy Miles fouled UIW's Tahj Staveskie as he drove the lane on a final attempt at the buzzer, sending Staveskie to the free-throw line, where he sealed the Cardinals' game-winning victory.

UIW shot 50 percent in the second half and connected on seven of its final nine attempts, including two free throws at the horn.

Despite the result, Northwestern showed plenty of bite.

Willie Williams delivered a career-high 18 points with nine rebounds, Miles poured in a game-high 20, and Micah Thomas followed with 17.

That thin margin will be tested again Monday night.

HCU (6-12, 2-7) enters the contest coming off an 81–70 win against East Texas, snapping an eight-game losing streak.

While the Huskies' record may not jump off the page, Northwestern head coach Rick Cabrera made it clear that means little in the Southland.

"Coach (Craig) Doty does a phenomenal job," Cabrera said. "They're competitive in every game, and they can beat any team in this league. They've had some bad luck lately, but the tides can turn on any given weekend."

The Huskies are led by guard Kylin Green, who averages 11.7 points per game and leads both HCU and the Southland Conference in assists (86) and assists per game (5.0).

The bright spot in Saturday's win was graduate student Trent Johnson, who came off the bench to score a career-high 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.

One defining trait of HCU is discipline.

The Huskies lead the Southland Conference in fewest fouls per game (14.9), limiting free-throw opportunities and forcing opponents to score through execution rather than charity. For a Northwestern team that leads the league in free-throw attempts at 23.6 per game, that contrast presents a clear challenge.

The setting only adds to the test.

"That gym (Sharp Gym) is a great home court for them," Cabrera said. "It's small, it gets loud, especially on a Monday night. We'll be locked in and prepared. We don't want to be the team that gives them momentum."

History still leans toward the Demons.

Northwestern State owns a 25–19 advantage in the all-time series and has won 10 of the last 12 meetings, including the past six straight heading into Sharp Gymnasium. Since HCU joined the Southland Conference in 2014–15, Northwestern State holds an 11–7 edge in the series.

For the Demons, the message remains straightforward: respect the opponent, control the moment, and turn late-game lessons into late-game wins as conference play continues.