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NATCHITOCHES, La. – HBU out-scored Northwestern State 38-27 in the second half en route to a 77-70 Southland Conference road win over Northwestern State on Wednesday night in Prather Coliseum.
 
Northwestern State (3-22, 0-14 SLC) made 11 of its first 15 shots to race out to a 22-7 lead at the second media stoppage with 11:41 left in the half. The Demons' lead got as high as 17 when a C.J. Jones jumper made it 26-9 with 10:10 to go.
 
The HBU (6-20, 2-11 SLC) offense came alive over the final 10 minutes of the half, out-scoring NSU 30-17. A pair of David Caraher threes and a Braxton Bonds layup were part of an eight-point run that brought the Huskies to within nine at the 8:23 mark. Another Bonds layup capped a seven-point stretch just over four minutes later that cut the HBU deficit to five before another eight-point run gave the Huskies their first lead of the game, 39-38, since Ian DuBose made the first basket of the game. The Demons' Ishmael Lane made the last two shots of the half, including a three just before the buzzer, to send the Huskies into the locker room trailing 43-39.
 
Both teams traded baskets throughout the first four minutes of the second half with NSU's Jones hitting a three and Larry Owens making a layup to put the Demons up seven with just under 15 minutes to play. HBU's third eight-point run of the night included five points from Caraher and gave the Huskies a 54-53 lead.
 
With 9:28 left, a Lane jumper tied the game at 60-60 and then, two minutes later, Oliver Lynch-Daniels drained a three just ahead of an expiring shot clock to give HBU a four-point lead at the 7:13 mark. Lynch-Daniels struck again just over a minute later with a jumper to make it a 68-62 ballgame.
 
Edward Hardt completed a three-point play with a layup and the ensuing free throw to cap another 8-0 run by HBU that put the Huskies up 71-62 with less than four minutes remaining on the clock. HBU held NSU scoreless from the 8:35 mark until there was just 2:16 on the clock. The two teams traded buckets until an Iziahiah Sweeney three cut the HBU lead to five but the Huskies made a pair of free throws in the final 19 seconds to maintain the lead and secure the win.
 
Caraher finished the night with a game-high 23 points and narrowly missed out on a double-double, grabbing nine rebounds while also dishing out five assists. Bonds also just missed out on a double-double, ending his night with 11 points, nine assists and five rebounds.
 
Jalon Gates added 12 points off the bench, knocking down 3-of-6 from three-point range while Hardt was the fourth HBU player to score in double-digits, adding 10. As a team, HBU shot 43.3 percent (29-of-67) from the floor and out-rebounded the Demons 40-36 after trailing 22-18 on the boards at the half. HBU also won the turnover battle, forcing NSU into 17 turnovers while c omitting just 11 with only four of those coming in the second half.
 
Northwestern State was led by Lane who posted a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds, connecting on 9-of-15 for the game. Sweeney added 14 points while Czar Perry and Owens both finished with 10.
 
HBU will return home for its next game, a home date against Sam Houston State inside Sharp Gym beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17.