Preview: New Orleans Privateers at Northwestern State Demons

CYPRESS, La. (Interstat) — Two Southland Conference men’s basketball teams seeking momentum will meet Saturday when the New Orleans Privateers visit the Northwestern State Demons at Prather Coliseum.

Both teams enter the Jan. 3 matchup looking to halt losing streaks and improve their early-season conference positioning. New Orleans (5-9) fell 83-69 at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday. Northwestern State (3-10) dropped a 74-64 home decision to Stephen F. Austin the same day.

The Privateers will lean on guard Jakevion Buckley, who has been a dynamic scorer recently. He poured in 32 points in a road win over Texas-Rio Grande Valley on Dec. 29 and followed with a team-high 15 points in the loss to Corpus Christi. His playmaking will be central to New Orleans’ attack against a Demons squad allowing an average of 78.2 points per game.

Northwestern State counters with forward Willie Williams, who nearly posted a double-double with 9 points and 11 rebounds against Stephen F. Austin. His activity on the glass will be critical for the Demons, who have struggled against high-major competition but boast a dominant 108-55 win over Southern-N.O. from Dec. 20.

The Demons have found wins scarce at Prather Coliseum this season, with their lone home victory in their last four attempts coming against Southern-N.O. New Orleans has shown it can score in bursts, averaging 78.4 points in its five wins, but has been held under 70 points in seven of its nine losses.

This contest opens a key January stretch for both programs. The Privateers will host Texas A&M-Commerce on Monday, while the Demons hit the road to face Nicholls State the same night. Securing an early conference win could provide a vital spark for either team’s hopes in the Southland standings.

Historically, the series has been closely contested, adding another layer to this early-season conference clash. The teams will meet again in New Orleans on Jan. 31.