NATCHITOCHES, La. (Interstat) — Northwestern State used a strong first half and capitalized on Houston Christian’s mistakes to secure a 71-53 men’s basketball victory Saturday at Prather Coliseum. The Demons built a 37-25 halftime lead and never looked back, improving to 9-19 overall. The Huskies fell to 10-18. Micah Thomas led all scorers with 23 points for Northwestern State, while Izzy Miles added 17. Kylin Green paced Houston Christian with 15 points. Northwestern State scored 19 points off turnovers and held a 34-22 advantage in points in the paint, key factors in avenging a two-point loss to the Huskies last month. An announced crowd of 450 watched the Southland Conference game.

NATCHITOCHES, La. (Interstat) — Northwestern State seized control with a decisive first-half run and never looked back, defeating Houston Christian 71-53 in a Southland Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Prather Coliseum. The Demons, improving to 9-19 overall, used a stifling defensive effort and capitalized on Houston Christian’s mistakes to build a double-digit lead by halftime. The Huskies, who fell to 10-18, struggled offensively throughout, committing 14 turnovers that led to 19 Northwestern State points. The most critical stretch of the game occurred midway through the first half. With Houston Christian leading 10-8, Northwestern State embarked on a 17-2 surge over a six-minute span to take a commanding 25-12 advantage. The Demons’ defense fueled the run, forcing five Huskies turnovers during the stretch. Izzy Miles, who finished with 17 points, ignited the run with a 3-pointer, and Micah Thomas, who led all scorers with 23, added a pull-up jumper. The Huskies went scoreless for over four minutes, missing five consecutive shots and turning the ball over three times. Houston Christian could not recover from that deficit. The Huskies shot just 37.7% from the floor for the game and a meager 27.8% from 3-point range. Their offensive struggles were compounded by a lack of ball movement, registering only two assists as a team. Northwestern State, by contrast, played efficiently inside, outscoring Houston Christian 34-22 in the paint and converting 15 of 19 free throw attempts. The Demons also dominated in transition, scoring 12 fastbreak points to Houston Christian’s zero. The Huskies trimmed the deficit to 12 points early in the second half after a Ryan Bartley dunk made it 53-41, but the Demons responded immediately. Landyn Jumawan answered with a 3-pointer on the next possession, and Northwestern State steadily rebuilt its lead, which ballooned to as many as 20 points in the final minutes. Willie Williams provided a strong interior presence for Northwestern State with 12 points and nine rebounds. Kordrick Turner added seven points and a game-high three blocks off the bench. For Houston Christian, Kylin Green led the way with 15 points. Demarco Bethea and Ryan Bartley each added 10 points, with Bartley contributing a team-high 34 minutes. The Huskies’ backcourt of Green and D’Aundre Samuels combined for 23 points but also committed seven of the team’s turnovers. The game was a reversal of fortune from the teams’ previous meeting on Jan. 19, which Houston Christian won 82-80. The victory gives Northwestern State a season split in the conference series. Northwestern State entered the game as a 2.5-point favorite according to sportsbooks, and the combined score of 124 fell well under the pregame over/under line of 134. The Demons’ defensive performance, holding Houston Christian to its second-lowest point total of the conference season, proved to be the difference. The announced attendance at Prather Coliseum was 450. Houston Christian will look to rebound quickly, traveling to face Texas A&M-Commerce on Monday. Northwestern State remains at home to host Incarnate Word, also on Monday.

Preview: Houston Christian at Northwestern State CYPRESS, La. (Interstat) — Two Southland Conference men’s basketball teams looking to build momentum will meet Saturday when the Northwestern State Demons host the Houston Christian Huskies at Prather Coliseum. Both teams enter the 4 p.m. matchup on modest upswings. Houston Christian (10-17, 5-9 Southland) has won two straight, including a 72-68 victory over Nicholls State on Monday. Northwestern State (8-19, 4-10) snapped a four-game skid with a 69-66 win over Southeastern Louisiana on Feb. 14 before falling to McNeese State on Monday. The game is a quick rematch of a Jan. 19 thriller, which Houston Christian won 82-80 at home. In that contest, the Huskies erased a 13-point second-half deficit. A key player to watch for Houston Christian is Mambourou Mara. The forward is coming off a strong performance against Nicholls State, logging 35 minutes with 15 points and three blocks. His defensive presence will be critical against a Northwestern State team featuring one of the league’s top scorers. That scorer is Micah Thomas, the dynamic guard for the Demons. Thomas has been on a tear, averaging 24.3 points over his last three games. He poured in a season-high 27 points in the loss to McNeese State on Monday and scored 26 in the win over Southeastern Louisiana. Containing Thomas will be the primary defensive focus for the Huskies. Northwestern State has struggled at home this season, posting a 5-8 record at Prather Coliseum. Houston Christian is 4-11 in road games. Both teams rank near the bottom of the conference in scoring margin, setting the stage for what could be another closely contested game. The Huskies have shown improved form lately, winning three of their last five. The Demons, despite their record, have been competitive, with seven of their last nine losses decided by single digits. Following this game, Houston Christian travels to face Texas A&M-Commerce on Monday. Northwestern State remains at home to host Incarnate Word on Monday.