Photo GalleryHOUSTON – Northwestern State shot 58 percent from the field, including 11-for-19 from 3-point range as the Demons raced to a 99-78 victory over HBU in the Southland Conference opener Saturday night at Sharp Gym.
Senior guard
Marcel Smith nailed a career-high four 3-pointers and led HBU (5-6, 0-1 SLC) with 16 points, while junior guard
Anthony Odunsi had 10 points and four assists and sophomore forward
Reveal Chukwujekwu had 10 points and four rebounds. Senior guard
Tyler Russell added nine points, while sophomore forward
Colter Lasher and freshman forward
Terry Harris each had eight. Senior center
Ricmonds Vilde led the Huskies with five rebounds.
Zeek Woodley led NSU with 22 points, while Jalan West went 4-for-6 from 3-point range and finished with 20 points and five assists. Ta'Jon Welcome added 13 points, and Devonte Hall had nine. Tra'von Joseph led the Demons on the glass with seven boards.
HBU shot 48 percent from the field, hit 6-of-12 from behind the arc and 14-of-15 from the free throw line, but NSU shot 58 percent, 11-for-19 from deep and 20-for-26 from the stripe. The Demons outrebounded the Huskies, 31-20, and outscored them, 22-8, in points off turnovers.
HBU struck first on a three by Smith and led 9-7 after a layup by Vilde, but NSU took its first lead on a trey by Tony Dobbinson, which sparked a 13-0 run to put the Demons up, 20-9, with 11:50 left. The Huskies ended the run on a layup by freshman center
Josh Ibarra and pair of free throws by Chukwujekwu to get back within seven.
Sabri Thompson hit a three and a three-point play by Woodley extended the Demons' advantage to 19 at 43-24 with 4:50 to go, which would be their largest lead of the half. The Huskies scored the next six with Smith sinking a pair of free throws, sophomore center
Cody Stetler taking a feed from Odunsi for a layup and Odunsi knocking down a pair from the line to make it a 13-point game, but the Demons took a 54-37 lead into the break.
NSU shot 54 percent in the first half, while holding HBU to 38 percent, and the Demons outrebounded the Huskies 25-14 in the opening frame. Woodley led the Demons with 10 points and Smith had eight for the Huskies in the first half.
A 3-pointer by West put NSU up by 23 with 13:29 remaining, but Smith answered with a three, Chukwujewku buried a jumper and Ibarra made a pair of free throws as HBU cut the deficit to 70-54 just under the 12-minute mark. The Huskies were able to get within 14 at 88-74 on a three by Smith with 4:38 left, but West made a triple and Woodley hit back-to-back threes in the closing minutes.
The Huskies return to action when they hit the road for three-straight games in Louisiana, beginning with McNeese State Monday at 7 p.m. in Lake Charles. They will also face Southeastern Louisiana Jan. 10 in Hammond, then Nicholls Jan. 13 in Thibodaux.
