However, the Demons may have made their run just a little too early.
After erasing a 13-point, first-half deficit and turning it into a five-point, second-half lead, Northwestern State could not hold off the fast-closing, top-seeded Colonels, falling 88-76 at the Merrell Center.
âIâm really proud of our guys and how they came out and played against our league champion,â said 22nd-year head coach Mike McConathy, who coached his 29th conference tournament game. âWe battled got down early and came back to take a five-point lead. (Nicholls) responded with a 3-pointer from Ty Gordon. I would say our effort was excellent. I would say we did a nice job in every area of the game. We just didnât make our shots down the stretch.â
KATY, Texas â Northwestern State menâs basketball coach Mike McConathy has preached âwe not meâ throughout the 2020-21 season.
His fourth-seeded Demons paid back his belief in that philosophy Thursday evening in the Southland Conference Tournament quarterfinals, using a plethora of key contributions to hang for an 82-79 win against fifth-seeded New Orleans at the Leonard E. Merrell Center.
âWe played against an extremely difficult team to play,â said McConathy, who improved to 19-9 in SLC Tournament games. âThey are extremely athletic. They do a great job in so many areas offensively and defensively. I was proud of the guys because, at the end, when things got a little hairy and we didnât make some shots we needed to, we were able to have enough in us to hold onto the win. Iâm really pleased with the effort of all the guys on the floor, on the bench, everywhere.â
Massner carries Northwestern St. past New Orleans 82-79
March 12, 2021 GMT
KATY Texas (AP) Trenton Massner had 20 points, including two free throws with 43 seconds left, as Northwestern State edged New Orleans 82-79 in the quarterfinals of the Southland Conference Tourney on Thursday.
The Demons meet top-seeded Nicholls State in Friday’s semifinal round.
Larry Owens had 13 points for Northwestern State (11-17). Jamaure Gregg added 11 points and seven rebounds. Brian White had 10 points and C.J. Jones scored five and dished seven assists.
New Orleans came as close as 81-79 on a Kmani Doughty 3-pointer with 12 seconds left. Northwestern State added a free throw one second later and New Orleans turned the ball over twice as the clock ticked down.
Southland Conference The Favorite
Abilene Christian (13-2, 21-4): Joe Golding has steadily been molding the ACU Wildcats into one of the conference’s best teams over his 10 years, but this may just be his best work.
The Wildcats have built an impressive resume at 13-2 in conference, and their two non-conference losses were competitive ones to now-ranked Texas Tech and Arkansas. Most of his wins this season have been convincing, and save for a loss to Central Arkansas, the Wildcats were potentially a decent win away from having a real case at an at large bid.
Currently at 97 in KenPom, they are nearly 80 spots higher than the next-highest Southland member (Sam Houston State). Their success starts on the defensive end; the Wildcats are ranked 37th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. Golding preaches an aggressive defensive strategy and it shows in the statistics. They force the most turnovers in the conference (and 11th highest in the nation) at 20.6 per game, and rank
NEW ORLEANS â Two big runs cost the Northwestern State menâs basketball team Wednesday night.
New Orleans opened the second half of a scoring binge and used another midway through the second half and grabbed a 92-83 victory against the Demons in Southland Conference action inside Lakefront Arena.
âWe played really well in the first half,â 22nd-year head coach Mike McConathy said. âWe felt pretty good, but there is nothing less important than the score at halftime. We just didnât play. They were tougher than us.
The Demons (9-17, 8-7) surrendered a 12-point first-half lead by allowing the Privateers (8-14, 7-7) to shoot 57.9 percent from the field in the second half.