NATCHITOCHES — Northwestern State returns home to Mike McConathy Court in Prather Coliseum on Monday night looking to turn competitive road performances into results, as the Demons host Nicholls in a pivotal Southland Conference matchup. 

Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and will air on ESPN+, with radio coverage available on the Demon Sports Network, flagship station 100.7 FM KZBL in Natchitoches. 

Monday's contest will also feature Greek Night, along with Krewe of NSU Night and Demons for Demons, presented by University Place, as Northwestern State looks to rally the home crowd for the stretch run of Southland Conference play. 

Northwestern (6-15, 4-8) comes in following a 75–64 setback at New Orleans on Saturday, a game that remained within reach late before free throws and second-chance points tilted the outcome. 

The Demons trimmed the deficit to three with just over three minutes remaining but were unable to generate enough stops down the stretch as the Privateers closed the game at the line. 

Despite the loss, head coach Rick Cabrera pointed to the Demons' recent road performances as a source of confidence, particularly with a return to their home court. 

"You've been consistently close on the road. You've played well on the road, maybe haven't gotten the results," Cabrera said. "But when you come home, that's got to give you a little bit of confidence. You won your last couple at home, you're feeling good playing at home, and it's a team you took to the wire at a place that's not easy to win." 

Nicholls enters the contest after a 72–68 road win over East Texas A&M, led by a balanced offensive effort that saw four Colonels score in double figures. 

Jalik Dunkley paced Nicholls with 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting and continues to be a steady presence, averaging 13.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Jaylen Searles leads the Colonels at 14.4 points per contest while shooting 42 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3-point range. 

As a team, Nicholls leads the Southland Conference in both 3-pointers made and attempted per game, presenting a significant perimeter challenge for the Demons. 

The meeting marks the second between the teams this season after Nicholls edged Northwestern 74–72 in Thibodaux on Jan. 5. In that matchup, the Demons rallied late and had a chance to tie or win in the closing seconds before a final attempt fell short. 

"When you look back at that game, that's another game we could have won," Cabrera said. "I wouldn't say should, because they're a good team, but it came down to one possession, one stop that we just couldn't get." 

Cabrera emphasized the importance of protecting home court as the Demons enter the final stretch of conference play. 

"We've got (10) left. We've got to win our home games and steal a couple of road games as well," he said. "This league is so good. Any team we go up against, we're capable of beating them, but they're capable of beating us, too." 

Defensively, Cabrera noted signs of growth in recent outings, including Northwestern's effort against Stephen F. Austin, where the Demons held one of the league's top offenses to its second-lowest point total in conference play. 

"We have to find our identity," Cabrera said. "I thought we showed some of that in the Stephen F. Austin game. We made them earn a lot of buckets. If we continue to build on that, we can have a good stretch here."