Women’s Basketball — Northwestern State closes non-conference play at No. 25 Texas
AUSTIN, Texas – Northwestern State closes its non-conference schedule out on Sunday with a matchup against its second ranked opponent of the season.
The Lady Demons (3-7, 0-2 SLC) take on No. 25 Texas (7-4) in a 1 p.m. game in the first of three games over a seven-day span.
The final non-conference tune game of the season for both teams can be seen on the Longhorn Network or heard on 92.3 FM The Fox or www.nsudemons.com
NSU dropped both of its Southland Conference games this past week, but showed marked improvements in areas that had proven quite frustrating for fourth-year head coach Jordan Dupuy.
With the second best shooting percentage of the season coming in the 3-point loss at Lamar, Dupuy sees the improvement the team has made through the month of December, but knows there is still distance to cover.
“I don’t think we have completely turned the corner yet but we are closer,” Dupuy said. “We still have to finish plays and make sure we are taking care of the ball. We do a little bit better in those two areas, we are 2-0 instead of 0-2.”
After a short break for the Christmas holiday, the Lady Demons close the 2019 portion of the schedule with Texas, before returning to Southland Conference play with games on Wednesday and Sunday of the coming week.
Taking a step out of league play with two games already under their belt is a different dynamic for the Lady Demons, but one that could benefit them going forward.
“I think playing well against Texas can definitely springboard us into the rest of the conference season,” Dupuy said. “It’s not an ideal situation, but if we handle it the right way, it could definitely be a positive for us in the long run.”
The Longhorns had a week to celebrate their home win against then-No. 1 Stanford, 69-64. The victory pushed the Horns back into the Top 25 rankings after dipping out with losses in two of its firs three games of the season.
Sophomore 6-foot-5 forward Charli Collier continues to be one of the most dynamic players in the country. She averages a double-double on the season with 14.9 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, spearheading the Longhorns nation-leading 17 double-doubles on the season.
“We have to make sure we play strong and physical on both ends,” Dupuy said. “We have to keep them out of the paint and off the glass defensively. Offensively we have to take what they give us. If we have an opportunity to score early before they get set, let’s do it. If not take our time and get the shot we want.”
