NEW ORLEANS (Interstat) — A decisive second-half surge propelled the New Orleans Privateers to a 75-64 victory over the Northwestern State Demons in a Southland Conference men’s basketball game Saturday night at Kiefer Lakefront Arena.

In a game defined by runs and defensive pressure, New Orleans used a 14-2 burst early in the second half to break open a tight contest and never looked back, avenging a loss to the Demons earlier this month. The Privateers improved to 10-13 overall, while Northwestern State fell to 6-15.

The most critical sequence of the game unfolded shortly after halftime. Northwestern State, trailing 33-30 at the break, opened the second period with a 7-0 run, capped by a Willie Williams layup off a Micah Thomas assist, to take a 37-33 lead and force a quick New Orleans timeout.

The response from the Privateers was immediate and overwhelming. Emerging from the stoppage, they locked down defensively and found an offensive rhythm that the Demons could not counter. The pivotal 14-2 run was ignited by Kedrick Osby, who connected on consecutive three-pointers, both assisted by Jakevion Buckley. Enzo Boudouma added a layup, Churchill Abass converted free throws, and Buckley capped the surge with a floating jumper, transforming a four-point deficit into a 47-39 New Orleans lead with 15:59 remaining.

Northwestern State never recovered from that blitz. The Demons struggled to generate consistent offense against a reinvigorated Privateer defense, managing just two points over a span of nearly five minutes during the game-changing run. New Orleans maintained at least a two-possession lead for the remainder of the contest, methodically extending its advantage by capitalizing on free throws and key baskets down the stretch.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair featuring eight lead changes. Northwestern State’s Izzy Miles provided a spark off the bench with 10 first-half points, including a three-pointer and a traditional three-point play. New Orleans leaned on the inside presence of Abass and the perimeter play of Coleton Benson to stay close, taking a slim three-point lead into intermission after a Tavaj Cope tip-in dunk just before the horn.

Buckley orchestrated the New Orleans offense masterfully, finishing with 18 points and six assists. His backcourt partner, Benson, added 13 points. Osby provided a crucial scoring punch with 13 points, all in the second half, while Abass controlled the paint with 10 points, two blocks, and a game-high 13 rebounds.

For Northwestern State, Micah Thomas led all scorers with 20 points and dished out four assists. Miles finished with 10 points, and Williams contributed nine points and five assists. The Demons were hampered by offensive inefficiency, shooting just 42.6% from the field and a meager 27.8% from three-point range. They were also outrebounded 40-30, with New Orleans grabbing 13 offensive boards that led to 13 second-chance points.

A key disparity came at the free-throw line, where New Orleans attempted 27 shots, making 20, compared to Northwestern State’s 9-of-9 performance. The Privateers also capitalized in transition, outscoring the Demons 10-2 on fastbreak points.

The game was played before an announced crowd of 793. Both teams return to conference play Monday, with Northwestern State hosting Nicholls State and New Orleans traveling to face Texas A&M-Commerce.