NATCHITOCHES – The Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball team returns to action on Saturday when it renews its oldest rivalry on the hardwood against Northwestern State in a Southland Conference game at Prather Coliseum.

Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. The game, which will follow the Southeastern-Northwestern State women's game at 1 p.m., can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), the internet at www.LionSports.net, the KSLU iPhone app and TuneIn Radio. Live video, courtesy of Northwestern State, is available at www.LionSports.net.

The meeting between Southeastern (5-10, 3-2 SLC) and Northwestern State (10-6, 4-2 SLC) will be the 126th meeting between the schools since the 1947-48 season with the Demons holding a 78-47 lead. Southeastern has won seven of the last eight meetings in the series dating back to the 2008-09 season, including four of the last five in Natchitoches.

Both teams split the season-series in 2011-12 with Northwestern State using a 19-2 run over the final 9:16 to claim a 55-38 victory over the visiting Lions.

Southeastern looks to bounce back after suffering a 52-40 setback on Thursday at league-leader Stephen F. Austin. The Lions held a 25-23 lead at halftime but shot 4-for-24 in the second half and finished 13-for-50 (26.0 percent) for the game.

Brandon Fortenberry leads Southeastern in scoring at 12.7 points per game with Roosevelt Johnson averaging 10.9 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds. Jeffery Ricard (9.3), Dre Evans (9.1), Antonnio Benton (5.8) and Todd Nelson (4.9) are next in scoring for Southeastern, which averages 60.2 points per game overall and 64.2 points in Southland Conference play.

After facing the nation's top team in scoring defense – SFA (49.4 points allowed), Southeastern will face the nation's second-best scoring team in Northwestern State, which averages 83.9 points per game. The high-octane Demons dropped a 93-78 decision to visiting Nicholls State on Thursday – their first loss this season at Prather Coliseum in eight games.

DeQuan Hicks, who has come off the bench in all 16 games this season, leads Northwestern State in scoring (14.8 ppg.) and rebounds (6.9 rpg.) with Shamir Davis (12.9 ppg.), James Hulbin (11.9 ppg.) and freshman Jalen West (11.6 ppg.) next in scoring.

Both teams have played a rugged non-conference schedule this season with the Lions slate (Wisconsin, Marquette, Florida, New Mexico State, Louisiana Tech) ranked as the fourth-toughest in the nation by Ken Pomeroy with the Demons (LSU, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Louisiana Tech, Arkansas) ranked as the seventh-toughest.

After its game against Northwestern State, Southeastern will return home for a pair of games beginning Thursday against Sam Houston State at 7:15 p.m.