NACOGDOCHES, Texas — The Northwestern State men's basketball team clawed within striking distance late, but a cold shooting start and timely free throws down the stretch sent the Demons to a 69–67 Southland Conference loss against Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday afternoon inside William R. Johnson Coliseum.
The Demons (6-14, 4-7) trimmed a double-digit, second-half deficit to two in the final seconds and held the Lumberjacks without a field goal over the final 4:32.
However, Stephen F. Austin (18-3, 11-1) did just enough at the free-throw line to secure the Southland Conference victory.
"We were better defensively at the end of the game," said third-year head coach Rick Cabrera. "No field goals in the last four-and-a-half minutes. But now it's about putting offense and defense together at the right time."
Trailing 64–59 with just over four minutes remaining, Northwestern tightened defensively and made one final push.
Senior Willie Williams scored twice in the paint in the final minute to pull Northwestern within three, and the Demons nearly forced a turnover on the ensuing possession when an SFA pass sailed over Narit Chotikavanic's head.
Jerald Colonel's diving save preserved the possession, however, leading to Keon Thompson — the game's leading scorer and reigning Southland Conference Player of the Week — heading to the free-throw line with 10 seconds remaining.
Thompson's two free throws pushed the margin back to five, effectively sealing the outcome.
Stephen F. Austin led for the entire contest, building its advantage early in the second half behind interior scoring and transition baskets.
The Lumberjacks pushed the lead to as many as 11 following a Chotikavanic 3-pointer at the 13:45 mark and continued to answer Northwestern runs with points in the paint or at the line.
Micah Thomas carried the Demons offensively in the second half, scoring repeatedly off the dribble to keep Northwestern State within range. Williams added consistent production inside as the Demons chipped away, cutting the deficit to four with 5:47 remaining before SFA answered with its final field goal of the afternoon.
"The margin for error is extremely slim in this league," says Cabrera. "When we make mistakes, other teams capitalize on them, and we have to limit that."
The game opened exactly the way Stephen F. Austin wanted.
The Lumberjacks jumped out to an 18–3 lead over the first eight minutes, forcing Northwestern to play from behind in the opening half.
With the offense stalling, the Demons look towards the bench.
Junior guard Chip Brunt answered, delivering a breakout performance with a career-high 16 points in just seven minutes of first-half action while shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the field.
"Chip really woke us up in the first half," says Cabrera. "If he doesn't have the half he had, I don't know where we'd be going into halftime. He gave us a huge lift."
Despite Brunt's surge, Stephen F. Austin carried a 37–32 advantage into halftime after steady perimeter shooting and early offensive balance built a cushion the Demons spent the rest of the game trying to erase.
Thompson led all scorers with 27 points on an efficient 11-of-17 shooting performance.
"He's the straw that stirs the drink," Cabrera said. "That dude is the LeBron James of the Southland. He's so strong, gets to his spot and doesn't get rattled. We had moments with our game plan, but we've got to be better."
Northwestern received balanced offensive production with Thomas and Brunt combining for 37 points. Thomas finished with 18, including 14 in the second half, while Brunt paced Northwestern with 19 in his continued strong play.
Williams recorded his third double-double of the season, finishing with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The Demons now turn their attention to the next stop on the road, traveling to New Orleans for a Saturday matchup against the Privateers. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. as Northwestern faces New Orleans for the second time this season.
