Lady Demons announce 2022-23 basketball schedule

NATCHITOCHES – A pair of NCAA Tournament teams and a beefed up 18-game Southland Conference schedule await the Northwestern State women’s basketball team in the 2022-23 season.

“The 22-23 non-conference schedule is very exciting,” third-year head coach Anna Nimz said. “The girls are going to have the opportunity to play in tradition rich environments in addition to facing high level talent.

The Lady Demons open the season at home on Monday, Nov. 9 against LeTourneau beginning the alternating home and away contests that comprise the first month of the season.

The first of three trips to the state of Oklahoma on the year comes four days later with Oklahoma State (Nov. 11). NSU returns to face Oklahoma (Nov. 30) and finishes with Tulsa (Dec. 19) in the final non-conference game of the season.

Like NSU’s trip through Kansas a year ago, Nimz’s home state, the games in Oklahoma take on an equally as special feeling for assistant coach Leasa Ailshie.

“As an Oklahoma girl, there is an extra level of excitement to play in the Lloyd Noble Center (OU) and Gallagher-Iba (OSU) arena,” Ailshie said. “Those are two high-level programs that I have been a fan of throughout my childhood.

“The University of Tulsa is also 30 minutes from my hometown, so we are expecting a fun following of friends and family to come out to support NSU. Although surreal, it will be a fun challenge to compete and a great opportunity to improve by playing against the top teams in Oklahoma.”

Following the first journey to the Sooner State, the Lady Demons renew a pair of Louisiana-based series by hosting Southern (Nov. 17) and traveling to LSU (Nov. 20). The game with Southern is the first since 2009 and NSU meets the Tigers for the first time since 1986.

LSU is the first of the two NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago the Lady Demons face within a 10-day stretch, with the Oklahoma game set for Nov. 30.

Three returning opponents from a season ago ring in Dec. with Champion Christian (Dec. 4) and ULM (Dec. 10) coming to Natchitoches and NSU making its first trip to Tarleton State (Dec. 14).

“Testing our talent against six different Division I conferences (Big 12, SEC, American, WAC, Sun-Belt, SWAC) will allow our program to be challenged and help prepare us for the Southland conference,” Nimz said.

After the game at Tulsa on Dec. 19, NSU opens the expanded Southland schedule on New Year’s Eve with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

NSU plays three of the first four conference games at home – AMCC, Nicholls (Jan. 7) and McNeese (Jan. 12) – before three straight road games at Nicholls (Jan. 14), at Southeastern (Jan. 19) and at New Orleans (Jan. 21).

A quick home-and-home series with HBU and Lamar make up the next four games before consecutive matchups with the newest member of the conference Texas A&M-Commerce. NSU makes its first trip to Commerce on Feb. 9 before hosting the Lions in Natchitoches two days later.

The home game with TAMUC starts a three-game home stand late in the year that also includes Southeastern (Feb. 16) and New Orleans (Feb. 18) before a road weekend at UIW and AMCC to close out Feb..

The Lady Demons host UIW in the final game of the regular season before entering the Southland Conference Tournament on March 6 in Lake Charles.

Season tickets for Northwestern State basketball are available by contacting the NSU Athletics ticket office at 318-357-4269 or online at www.nsutickets.com.

2022-23 Lady Demons Schedule

Nov. 7, 2022 (Monday) — Home — LeTourneau

Nov. 11, 2022 (Friday) — Away — Oklahoma State

Nov. 17, 2022 (Thursday) — Home — Southern

Nov. 20, 2022 (Sunday) — Away — LSU

Nov. 26, 2022 (Saturday) — Home — Arkansas Baptist

Nov. 30, 2022 (Wednesday) — Away — Oklahoma

Dec. 4, 2022 (Sunday) — Home — Champion Christian College

Dec. 10, 2022 (Saturday) — Home — UL Monroe

Dec. 14, 2022 (Wednesday) — Away — Tarleton State

Dec. 19, 2022 (Monday) — Away — Tulsa

Dec. 31, 2022 (Saturday) — Home — Texas A&M – Corpus Christi

Jan. 5, 2023 (Thursday) — Away — McNeese

Jan. 7, 2023 (Saturday) — Home — Nicholls

Jan. 12, 2023 (Thursday) — Home — McNeese

Jan. 14, 2023 (Saturday) — Away — Nicholls

Jan. 19, 2023 (Thursday) — Away — Southeastern Louisiana

Jan. 21, 2023 (Saturday) — Away — New Orleans

Jan. 26, 2023 (Thursday) — Home — Houston Baptist

Jan. 28, 2023 (Saturday) — Home — Lamar

Feb. 2, 2023 (Thursday) — Away — Houston Baptist

Feb. 4, 2023 (Saturday) — Away — Lamar

Feb. 9, 2023 (Thursday) — Away — Texas A&M-Commerce

Feb. 11, 2023 (Saturday) — Home — Texas A&M-Commerce

Feb. 16, 2023 (Thursday) — Home — Southeastern Louisiana

Feb. 18, 2023 (Saturday) — Home — New Orleans

Feb. 23, 2023 (Thursday) — Away — Incarnate Word

Feb. 25, 2023 (Saturday) — Away — Texas A&M – Corpus Christi

March 1, 2023 (Wednesday) — Home — Incarnate Word

March 6, 2023 (Monday) — Neutral — First Round

March 7, 2023 (Tuesday) — Neutral — Quarterfinals Round

March 8, 2023 (Wednesday) — Neutral — Semifinals Round

March 9, 2023 (Thursday) — Neutral — Championship