NEW ORLEANS — A late push was not enough to overcome free-throw volume and second-chance scoring, as the Northwestern State men's basketball team fell 75–64 to New Orleans on Saturday afternoon at Lakefront Arena.
The Demons (6-15, 4-8) pulled within three points with 3:22 remaining, but the Privateers closed the game at the foul line, converting 13 of their final 14 free throws to create separation in the closing minutes.
After trimming a nine-point deficit to 63-60 on a C.J. Larry 3-pointer, Northwestern struggled to string together defensive stops as New Orleans repeatedly earned trips to the stripe.
"We just got out-toughed," third-year head coach Rick Cabrera said. "Credit to UNO, they were very physical. They shot 27 free throws and we shot nine. We have moments where we played well. We just couldn't sustain it and get the stops that we needed. We've got to be better in every facet of the game. You've got to have toughness within yourself."
Jakevion Buckley and Coleton Benson combined to score nine straight points at the free-throw line as the Privateers closed the game on a decisive 12–4 run.
NSU briefly seized momentum at the start of the second half, opening the period on an 8–0 surge capped by three straight finishes from Willie Williams to take a 38–33 lead.
New Orleans (9-13, 7-6) answered emphatically, responding with an 18–2 run over the next six minutes to regain control and push its advantage to 11.
Kedrick Osby fueled the response for the Privateers, knocking down three 3-pointers during the stretch as New Orleans quickly flipped the momentum back in its favor.
The Demons received a spark off the bench from J.C. Riley Jr., who scored eight points on 4-of-5 shooting in just seven minutes of action as Northwestern trimmed the margin to five.
However, early foul trouble allowed New Orleans to become increasingly aggressive offensively, attacking the paint and drawing contact — a familiar formula for a team that leads the Southland Conference in free-throw attempts.
The opening half was tightly contested, featuring four lead changes and two ties. Northwestern found early success through balanced scoring as Izzy Miles scored 10 first-half points on 3-of-6 shooting and Thomas added seven. New Orleans, however, used second-chance opportunities and timely perimeter shooting to carry a 33–30 lead into halftime.
Micah Thomas led Northwestern offensively, scoring 13 of his team-high 20 points in the second half while consistently attacking off the dribble and converting at the free-throw line. Despite limiting New Orleans to 44 percent shooting from the floor, Northwestern was hurt in the game's physical areas.
The Privateers controlled the glass with a 40–28 rebounding advantage, including 13 offensive boards that turned into 18 second-chance points, and lived at the free-throw line with 27 attempts. By comparison, the Demons reached the stripe just nine times all afternoon, a disparity that ultimately proved decisive..
"New Orleans set an identity of how they were going to play," Cabrera said. "They were physical, attacking the glass, getting to the line. Offensively, we did a decent job guarding them, but they made some big shots in transition. We just weren't physical enough to stop them."
Northwestern shot 43 percent from the field and recorded 17 assists on 26 made baskets but was limited to five made 3-pointers and struggled to keep New Orleans off the offensive glass as the Privateers controlled the game's most physical areas.
The Demons return home to Mike McConathy Court in Prather Coliseum on Monday to face Nicholls, with tip-off set for 6:30 p.m.
"Our margin for error is slim, so we have to limit mistakes if we want to win," Cabrera said. "The team is frustrated by the loss and motivated to respond, so we need to play smarter and tougher."
