By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
The Northwestern State women’s basketball team is off to its best start in five seasons under coach Anna Nimz, and has two home games this week.
The second one will be the Demons’ toughest test in Southland Conference action so far. After what amounts to a warmup game tonight against winless New Orleans, NSU (7-7 overall, 4-1 in SLC) hosts Southeastern (12-3, 6-0) Saturday afternoon.
It’s been since 2016 that NSU has started so well in its Southland schedule.
“What’s really fun is how high the ceiling is; we’ve started to scratch it, but we haven’t figured it out all the way,” said Nimz. “The biggest thing is confidence. We’re stepping on the court believing we can win instead of stepping on the court wondering if we can.”
The NSU men are also in the upper echelon of the Southland race and play twice in Prather Coliseum in the next five days.
Louisiana Tech’s Lady Techsters are the only other area Division I team at home this week and appears to have favorable matchups against Jacksonville State and Kennesaw State.
MEN
Louisiana Tech (13-4, 2-2 CUSA)
Next: tonight (6 p.m.) at Jacksonville State (9-7, 1-2), Saturday at Kennesaw State (9-7, 1-2)
Last game: won 79-74 at home Saturday over Liberty
Notes: The Bulldogs swept two home games last week, averaging 80 points on 52 percent shooting aim … Tech gave Liberty its third loss of the season … Down seven at halftime, the Bulldogs put up a whopping 52 points on the Flames in the second half, against a Liberty squad allowing 59.9 points per game … Tech is 23rd nationally in field goal aim (49.3 percent) and is second in CUSA with 75.6 percent accuracy on free throws after making 22-25 Saturday … Jacksonville State is playing its first league home game.
Northwestern (7-9, 4-2 Southland)
Next: home Saturday, 1:00, vs. Southeastern (9-8, 3-3), Monday home, 6:30, vs. UNO (3-14, 1-5)
Last game: lost 73-64 Monday at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Notes: the Demons gave up 52 percent overall shooting Monday night, but coach Rick Cabrera said they lost when they allowed the Islanders to build a 16-point halftime lead with 60 percent aim … Corpus Christi finished the half on a 29-10 run … Micah Sanders tops Northwestern in Southland play with a 14.5 scoring average, including 25-28 on free throws … the Demons have shot 79 percent at the line in conference games.
Grambling (4-13, 1-3 SWAC)
Next: at Southern (9-8, 4-0) Saturday
Last game: won 79-72 at home Monday night over Florida A&M
Notes: The Tigers hit 52 percent of their shots and 84 percent at the free throw line to beat FAMU … Antwan Burnett (18 points) and Chilaydrien Newton (a career-high 17) topped Grambling’s production … Southern, which won at Louisiana Tech in November, leads the SWAC race … theJaguars are coached by Kevin Johnson, formerly head coach at Centenary before the Gents dropped out of Division I.
WOMEN
Louisiana Tech (9-6, 2-2 CUSA)
Next: home tonight, 6:30, vs. Jacksonville State (7-7, 1-2), home Saturday, 3 p.m., vs. Kennesaw State (5-9, 0-3)
Last game: lost Saturday at Liberty, 75-64
Notes: For the third straight time, Paris Bradley was voted CUSA Freshman of the Week, scoring 37 points and collecting 10 rebounds in competitive losses at FIU and Liberty, hitting 57 percent of her shots and 55 percent on 3-pointers … after facing two inside-oriented teams last week, the Techsters will host teams that like to run and score from outside this week, says coach Brooke Stoehr … Jacksonville State will play its first CUSA road game tonight.
Northwestern (7-7, 4-1 Southland)
Next: home tonight, 6:30, vs. UNO (0-14, 0-5); home Saturday, 1 p.m., vs. Southeastern (12-3, 6-0)
Last game: won 46-42 last Thursday at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Notes: NSU hosts the worst (UNO) and best (SLU) teams in the Southland this week … Coach Anna Nimz’ Demons lead the league and rank 29th in the NCAA in scoring defense (55.9 ppg), allowing only one opponent over 50 points in SLC action … was it good defense or miserable shooting? At Corpus Christi, the Islanders led 9-8 at halftime … Northwestern scored 27 in the fourth quarter, 15 by point guard Mya Blake, and beat Corpus Christi for the first time in 12 games … the Demons’ early success in conference games will be tested beginning Saturday as five of the next six games after SLU are on the road.
Grambling (5-10, 2-2 SWAC)
Next: at Southern (5-`12, 3-1) Saturday
Last game: won 78-64 Monday a home over Florida A&M
Notes: The Tigers shot 52 percent overall and 63 percent on 3-pointers in Monday night’s win … Kahia Warmsley poured in 26 points, shooting 8-12 overall and 3-4 on treys while grabbing 5 rebounds and making 3 steals … in a 19-point outing, Douthshine Prien got to the free throw line an amazing 20 times, sinking 15, and she snagged eight rebounds … Grambling was 27-35 on free throws … Southern has won two in a row.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com