‘Jacks Oust Northwestern State, Close Out ’25 with Sixth-Straight Win

Wednesday, December 31

Natchitoches, La.

3:30 P.M.

Stephen F. Austin

11-2,4-0Southland

Northwestern State

3-10,1-3Southland

SFA

Northwestern St.

Photo by: Sarah Williams

‘Jacks Oust Northwestern State, Close Out ’25 with Sixth-Straight Win

12/31/2025 7:06:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

SFA improves to 4-0 in SLC play and earns 11th victory before calendar change for first time since 2019-20 campaign

NATCHITOCHES, La. – Senior guard Keon Thompson delivered his sixth 20-point scoring effort of the season with 21 points, Lateef Patrick followed with 17 points for a fourth-straight game reaching that scoring mark and Stephen F. Austin remained unbeaten in Southland Conference play with a 74-64 win over Northwestern State on Wednesday afternoon inside Prather Coliseum. The victory is the sixth-straight for SFA and the 11^th overall this season marking the first time since the 2019-20 season that the 'Jacks reached 11 wins before the new year.

The two squads battled to a 9-9 score just under six minutes into first half action, before the 'Jacks put together a 7-0 run sequenced on a second-chance bucket inside by Gediminas Alisas off an assist by Eltramon Smith. Following a Marcus Scurry steal, Smith found Alisas again this time with the latter driving to the basket. Thirty-five seconds later, Thompson completed an and-1 as SFA moved out front 16-9 with 12:29 remaining before the break.

NSU would get as close as three points prior to the intermission, while SFA's largest first half lead was a dozen points at the 3:16 mark as Patrick found Christian Green driving baseline to the bucket for a quick two.

The Demons closed the 37-31 halftime deficit to three points at 40-37, however the 'Jacks responded with a 9-0 run anchored by a pair of Kameron Burton triple tries to move ahead 49-37. NSU trimmed that deficit to five points just prior to the 12-minute mark. A driving bucket by Thompson and a turnaround jumper from Patrick in response put the 'Jacks up nine with 11:04 remaining.

The host would manage to get within seven points of the SFA advantage twice down the stretch with the second instance followed by a 12-3 Lumberjack run to put the game away.

POSTGAME NOTES

SFA finished +14 in rebounding and grabbed 40+ boards for the seventh time this season and for the third-straight game
The 'Jacks grabbed a dozen offensive rebounds for the seventh time this season
Ten of 11 players that saw the floor recorded multiple rebounds
SFA committed less than ten turnovers for the seventh time this season and for the fifth time in its last six games
Thompson added five assists and Patrick followed with three
Against his former team, Jerald Colonel recorded nine rebounds, five on the offensive end, and chipped in with four points and a block

UP NEXT
SFA eyes stage three of its four-game road trip as a Saturday night tilt in Hammond, Louisiana, awaits the Lumberjacks in the squad's first action of 2026. SFA has won eight of the past ten meetings against Southeastern Louisiana (4-9, 1-3 SLC) but lost by seven last season in Nacogdoches. The action begins at 3:30 p.m. from inside University Center. Live coverage links are available at www.SFAjacks.com

#AxeEm x #WinTogether

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