By Jason Pugh, Northwestern State Associate Athletic Director for External Relations; featured photo by Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services
NEW ORLEANS – One spectacular half built the Northwestern State men’s basketball team a double-figure lead at New Orleans on Saturday.
A season-high total in 3-pointers, buoyed by a sizzling start, helped the short-handed Demons grab their fifth Southland Conference road win of the year, defeating New Orleans, 73-66, at Lakefront Arena to sweep the season series from the Privateers.
Northwestern (12-15, 9-8) knocked down 12 of its 23 3-point tries, eclipsing its best long-range performance of the season by one while playing without its leading scorer, Addison Patterson.
“We all know Addi’s a very talented player, but our team doesn’t miss a beat,” second-year head coach Rick Cabrera said. “They trust each other, and we trust them. They figure it out. That’s what it’s all about at this time of the year.”
Down 5-0 quickly, the Demons began their 3-point barrage, sinking five of their seven first-half 3s in a 21-0 run that covered 6:52 of the first half.
Befitting their team-first approach, five different Demons – Micah Thomas, Love Bettis, Landyn Jumawan, Justin Redmond and Jon Sanders II – connected on 3s during the run.
“Our guys were getting stops and playing well in transition,” Cabrera said. “We were sharing the ball and our good guards were making shots. Our post guys were doing a good job. Everyone contributed in a positive away, especially in the first half.”
Even after the Privateers (4-24, 2-15) began to cut into what had become a 21-point, first-half lead, the Demons continued to knock down key shots.
Chris Mubiru’s 3-pointer at the end of the first half gave the Demons a 15-point lead at the break and stymied some of the New Orleans momentum.
Thomas, who tallied a game-high 23 points, kept things rolling in the second half, knocking down four of his five 3-pointers in the second half.
Led by Thomas, the Demons had an answer for nearly every second-half run the Privateers threw at them as New Orleans searched for its first home win of the season.
UNO whittled the lead to single digits for the first time in the second half with 11:36 to play on a Theo Grant layup.
The Demons answered with a Thomas 3 to re-establish a double-figure advantage, beginning a trend in the second half.
Leading 58-50 after a Kowen Rowbatham 3, the Demons got another response 3 from Jumawan to move the lead back to 11.
That pattern continued until the Privateers pulled within 63-55 with 5:15 to play. Both teams’ defense took over and the game remained at that score for 3:08 before Love Bettis rattled home a mid-range jumper to give the Demons a 10-point lead.
Bettis finished with 15 points, combining with Thomas to ice the game by sinking all eight of their combined free throws in the final 127 seconds.
The swagger-heavy guards combined for 38 points as the only two Demons in double figures although Northwestern got balanced scoring up and down, including a combined 16 points off the bench from Jerald Colonel and Justin Redmond.
Colonel also shared the game lead with nine rebounds as Northwestern was plus-5 on the glass.
“I’ll be honest, I don’t know if any of Love’s free throws even touched the rim,” Cabrera said. “That’s how locked in he was. He stepped to the line and made those with confidence.
“I’ve coached a lot of good guards, but (Thomas) is one of the best at getting himself a shot. He’s patient. He never seems rushed or rattled. When he shoots it, I feel good that it’s going to go in. He played with that confidence and swagger about him. When he plays like that, he’s an all-conference guard.”
The Demons return to action when they wrap up their 2024-25 road schedule by traveling to Hammond to face Southeastern Louisiana. Tipoff from inside the University Center is set for 6 p.m.
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