NEW ORLEANS — The Northwestern State men's basketball team continues its Southland Conference road stretch Saturday afternoon, traveling to Lakefront Arena for a 5 p.m. matchup against New Orleans as the Demons look to respond following another narrow decision earlier in the week. 

The game can be watched on ESPN+, with radio coverage available on the Demon Sports Network, flagship station 100.7 FM KZBL in Natchitoches. 

Northwestern State (6-14, 4-7) is coming off a 69–67 setback at Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday in which the Demons showed resilience after a slow start.  

Despite falling behind early, Northwestern 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 before Stephen F. Austin sealed the outcome at the free-throw line. 

"I was proud of how they played to put us in that position against the best team in the league," head coach Rick Cabrera said. "But I thought we could have won that game. We've got to value possessions a lot more on both ends of the floor. One stop, one turnover can change the outlook of a game." 

Offensively, the Demons received balanced production in Nacogdoches.  

Chip Brunt provided an early spark, scoring 16 points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting performance in just seven minutes of first-half action before finishing with a team-high 19 points while Micah Thomas added 18 for Northwestern. 

Willie Williams recorded his third double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. 

"Chip is the sole reason we got back in that game in the first half," Cabrera said. "We make the sub, and he kind of changes the trajectory of the game with his scoring. Talent isn't the issue with him. We need consistency, but when he turns it on at both ends, he's a really good player." 

The Demons have now played multiple games decided in the final possessions, something Cabrera believes provides lessons but also demands growth as conference play continues. 

"If you're not teaching your kids out of these moments, you don't need to be in this profession," Cabrera said. "We're in this business to win. At some point, you can't keep hearing you came close. It's time to turn the tables and do something different." 

New Orleans (8-13, 6-6) enters Saturday's contest following an 80–62 road win over Nicholls on Tuesday in Thibodaux.  

The Privateers shot 47 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line in the victory, continuing a season-long trend of efficiency at the stripe. New Orleans leads the Southland Conference in free-throw attempts per game at 23.7 and ranks second in the league in free-throw percentage at 75 percent. 

"They're playing really well right now," Cabrera said. "They've got a good balance of perimeter and post players, and they're big inside. (Coleton) Benson and (Jakevion) Buckley give them one of the better backcourts in the league, and they're playing with momentum." 

The Privateers are paced offensively by Buckley, who leads the Southland Conference in assists and assists per game (5.3), and Benson, who averages a team-high 15.5 points per contest. 

Saturday's meeting also carries added significance as Northwestern looks to complete another season sweep of New Orleans, which would mark the third consecutive sweep under Cabrera. The Demons claimed a 74–68 victory earlier this month at Prather Coliseum, a game that featured five Northwestern players in double figures paced by Chris Mubiru's 16 points on 4-of-7 shooting. 

As the Demons navigate a busy stretch that includes road play followed by home games early next week, Cabrera said continued growth across the lineup will be critical, including in the frontcourt. 

"Moustapha (Loum) has been playing really well," Cabrera said. "I don't need scoring from him. I need rebounding and rim protection. He's trending the right way, and if we can take some pressure off Willie inside, that helps us a lot."