Box Score

NATCHITOCHES – Shamir Davis scored 24 points to lead five players in double figures and Northwestern State overcame a slow start to defeat Southeastern Louisiana, 103-68, in a Southland Conference game Saturday afternoon at Prather Coliseum.

DeQuan Hicks scored 16 points with freshman Jalan West adding 15 as Northwestern State (11-6, 5-2 SLC) closed out the first half making 21 of its final 25 shots after starting the game 0-for-7. Gary Roberson added 12 points for Northwestern State while James Hulbin chipped in with 10. Southeastern, which allowed 100 points for the first time since a 106-86 loss at former league rival UTSA on March 5, 2004 – a span of 253 games – fell to 5-11 overall and 3-3 in the SLC.

Davis, who went 7-for-9 from the floor with five 3-pointers, and West combined to finish 8-for-8 from behind the arc as Northwestern State finished 11-for-20 overall from long range, including 8-for-10 in the first half. West got Northwestern State on the board when he buried a 3-pointer with 15:44 remaining before a jumper by Hicks and 3-pointer by Roberson gave the Demons an 8-5 lead.

After facing the nation's stingiest defensive team (a 52-40 loss at Stephen F. Austin) on Thursday, the Lions jumped out to a 5-0 lead against the nation's second highest-scoring team behind a jumper and three-point play from Roosevelt Johnson. The Lions got as close as 8-7 on a breakaway dunk by Antonnio Benton with 14:00 remaining, but Northwestern State scored the next seven points as a bucket by West, a steal and dunk by Brison White and 3-pointer by Hulbin gave the Demons a 15-7 lead.

A 3-pointer by Hulbin with 6:42 remaining in the half pushed the Northwestern State lead to 38-16 before the Demons took their biggest lead of the half, 45-18, on a layup by Hicks at the 4:44 mark.

Southeastern got as close as 60-37 on a pair of free throws by Brandon Fortenberry with 15:11 remaining in the game before Northwestern State pulled away for good, taking its biggest lead of the game – 97-53 – on a layup by Roberson with 4:26 left.

Southeastern, which finished 22-for-56 (39.3 percent) for the game, was led by Onochie Ochie with a career-high 18 points. Johnson and Dre Evans finished with 13 points each for the Lions while Fortenberry pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.

Southeastern will return to action on Thursday when it hosts Sam Houston State in a 7:15 p.m. contest at the University Center. The game will follow the Southeastern-SHSU women's game that begins at 5:15 p.m.