HAMMOND - Looking to avoid going 0-and-2 in the Southland Conference, Southeastern Louisiana needed a gritty performance in its own backyard. It received one from one of its youngest members.

True freshman Bradd Schlosser, making his first career start at quarterback, completed 26 of 40 passes with two touchdowns and Jay Lucas scored on a pair of 1-yard TD runs - including the eventual game-winner in overtime - as Southeastern rallied from a 14-0 deficit and defeated in-state rival Northwestern State, 31-24, Saturday night at Strawberry Stadium.

Schlosser, who played for Southeastern head coach Dennis Roland as a prep product in 2004 at North Gwinnett (Ga.) High School, tossed a 5-yard touchdown pass to Crawford Kilpatrick and a 28-yard strike to Merrick Lanaux as Southeastern (2-5, 1-1) snapped a three-game losing streak and defeated Northwestern State (2-4, 0-2 SLC) for the first time in three tries since reviving its program in 2003.

Northwestern State, which finished with 419 yards total offense, took the opening possession and drove 78 yards with Patrick Earl scoring on a 2-yard touchdown run. One play after Schlosser fumbled on the snap at the SLU 36, the Demons scored again as Roch Charpentier hit Ben Bailey on a 36-yard strike with 4:58 left.

But Northwestern State would not score again until Greg Skidmore's 22-yard pass from Charpentier in the fourth quarter as Southeastern closed the gap behind the passing of Schlosser.

Replacing fifth-year senior Seth Babin as the Lions' signal-caller, Schlosser drove the Lions 65 yards in 13 plays and found Kilpatrick on a 5-yard pass to cut the lead to 14-7.

Charpentier, making his second career start for the Demons, opened the game completing his first nine passes before SLU's Brennen Harris picked off an errant pass at the SLU 45 and returned it 15 yards. Two possessions later, Southeastern cut the lead to 14-13 when Lanaux snagged a pass from Schlosser in the right corner of the end zone.

A fumble recovery by SLU's Michael Johnson on the Demons' first play to start the third quarter led to a 29-yard field goal by Jeff Turner and Southeastern took its first lead of the game at 16-14. But the lead would be short-lived as Charpentier hit Skidmore on a perfectly-executed screen pass and Skidmore raced to the end zone to put NSU ahead, 21-16, with 14:12 remaining in the game.

Southeastern capitalized off a fumble by NSU's Richuel Massey at the NSU 24 and Lucas put Southeastern ahead, 22-21, when he capped a 9-play drive on a 1-yard plunge. Southeastern went for the two-point conversion and Mario Gilbert fought off several NSU defenders and dove into the end zone to put the Lions ahead 24-21 with 7:56 left.

NSU tied the game on Robert Weeks' 26-yard field goal with 41 seconds left forcing overtime, the first time Southeastern went to overtime at home and second time since a 31-28 loss at Texas State in 2004.

The Lions benefited from a pass interference penalty to the NSU 18 on the first play to open the overtime possession before Lucas rumbled to the 11. Three plays later, Lucas bulled his way into the end zone and Southeastern claimed a 31-24 lead.

Charpentier, starting for former starter Ricky Joe Meeks who left the team at the beginning of the week, hit Bailey on a 16-yard pass to the SLU 9 on the Demons' first play in overtime and roughing the passer penalty on the Lions eventually moved the ball to the 3.

But the Lion defense stiffened as Earl was dropped for a 2-yard loss, Johnson broke up a pass by Charpentier in the end zone and Demoris Hardiman broke up a pass intended to NSU's Derrick Doyle. On fourth-down at the SLU 5, Charpentier's pass was dropped by an open Adam Varnado at the goal line.

Kilpatrick, Schlosser's teammate at North Gwinnett (Ga.) High School, caught a career-high nine passes and a touchdown for the Lions while Lanaux and freshman Jamaar' Garrett caught five passes each.

Charpentier finished 20-for-31 for 263 yards and two touchdowns for the Demons, but was intercepted twice including a second-quarter pick by Eric Jackson at the SLU 2. Massey led Northwestern with 46 yards on four carries, including a 40-yard rush that set up Skidmore's TD reception.

Southeastern returns to action on Saturday when it visits SLC rival Texas State, a 27-17 winner at McNeese State, in a 6 p.m. game in San Marcos, Texas.

Northwestern State.. 14 0 0 10 0 - 24 Record: (2-4,0-2)
Southeastern La..... 7 6 3 8 7 - 31 Record: (2-5,1-1)

Scoring Summary:
1st Quarter
NSU - Earl 2 run (Weeks kick), 7:08
NSU - Bailey 36 pass from Charpentier (Weeks kick), 4:58
SLU - Kilpatrick 5 pass Schlosser (Turner kick), 1:38

2nd Quarter
SLU - Lanaux 28 pass from Schlosser (kick blocked), 6:42

3rd Quarter
SLU - FG Turner 29, 10:15

4th
NSU - Skidmore 22 pass from Charpentier (Weeks kick), 14:12
SLU - Lucas 1 run (Gilbert run), 7:56
NSU - FG Weeks 26, :41

OT
SLU - Lucas 1 run (Turner kick), 0:00

A - 6,493

NSU SLU
FIRST DOWNS................... 23 16
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............ 42-156 26-53
PASSING YDS (NET)............. 263 212
Passes Att-Comp-Int........... 31-20-2 40-26-0
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS..... 73-419 66-265
Fumble Returns-Yards.......... 0-0 0-0
Punt Returns-Yards............ 0-0 1-7
Kickoff Returns-Yards......... 5-109 5-95
Interception Returns-Yards.... 0-0 2-46
Punts (Number-Avg)............ 4-40.0 5-38.4
Fumbles-Lost.................. 3-2 2-1
Penalties-Yards............... 10-68 7-48
Possession Time............... 33:51 26:09

RUSHING
NWLA - Massey 4-46; Lawrence 10-32; Earl 15-30; Skidmore 4-24; Charpentier 6-20; Edmond 2-3; Austin 1-1. SLU - Lucas 15-57; Gilbert 3-15; Betts 1-0; TEAM 2-minus 9; Schlosser 5-minus 10.

PASSING
NWLA - Charpentier 20-31-2-263. SLU - Schlosser 26-40-0-212.

RECEIVING
NWLA - Broyles 4-38; Bailey 3-73; Miller 3-47; Varnado 3-34; Doyle 3-30; Skidmore 2-28; Austin 1-11; Freeman 1-2. SLU - Kilpatrick 9-62; Lanaux 5-56; Garrett 5-42; Lucas 3-16; Gilbert 2-6; Ross 1-17; Muhammad 1-13.