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    THIBODAUX, La. _ If statistics mean anything, don't expect a low-scoring, defensive contest when the Northwestern State Demons host the University of Central Arkansas Bears on Tuesday night at Prather Coliseum.

    The Bears (3-14, 2-5) and Demons (5-14, 2-7) are allowing 84.8 and 85.5 points per game, respectively. Those scoring defense numbers rank 12th and 13th in the 13-team Southland Conference.

    "They are statisically the worst defensive team in the league,' said UCA head coach Russ Pennell. "They give up a lot of points but on the other hand, they're one of the top scoring teams. It could literally be a game in the 90s for both teams. I think it will be a fun game. I think maybe the team that plays the least-worse defense will win the game. And we hope that's us.'

    The first meeting between the teams a year ago at UCA's Farris Center produced an entertaining 110-108 victory, the highest-scoring regulation game of the year in NCAA Division I. In that game, the teams combined for 24 three pointers (13 for UCA) and scored a combined 119 points in the second half alone. Ten players scored in double figures, five from each team, with Jalan West topping the Demons with 28 points and Jordan Howard the Bears with 27.

    NSU won the return game in Natchitoches 86-70 in February.

     So far this season, the Bears have topped the 90-point mark three times and won each game. They beat UTSA 98-84 in November in Las Vegas, topped Lamar 93-76 at home in January and beat Nicholls State 94-83 on Jan. 23 in Thibodaux. 

    Northwestern State has scored at least 90 points four times this season _ including a high of 105 against Missouri Valley _ and won three of those games. The latest was a 91-76 victory over Southeastern Louisiana in SLC play on Saturday, their second consecutive league victory after starting 0-7.

    "You have a team (in Northwestern) that just won their first two league games back to back,' said Pennell. "They have some momentum. They provide a challenge because they can score and they're at home. It's tough to win on the road in this league.'

    Two of the conference's top individual scorers will be on display in NSU's Zeek Woodley and UCA's Jordan Howard. Woodley leads the league at 22.3 points per game, while Howard is second at 18.2. In conference play only, Howard is No. 1 at 22.3 followed by Woodley at 21.1. Howard is first in three-pointers made (61) and third in three-point percentage (45.9), while NSU's Devonte Hall is first in assists (6.2) and Woodley is second in free-throw percentage (89.1).
    
    The Demons are without All-SLC guard Jalan West, who injured his knee in the first game of the season and was lost for the season. He scored 25 points and had six assists in his one game at Ole Miss. Woodley has taken up some of the scoring slack, along with Sabri Thompson (11.8 per game) and Ishmael Lane (11.7). NSU's victories have come over SLU, Nicholls, Centenary, Missouri Valley and Louisiana College.

    The Bears return home for six of their final 10 games, beginning with a Saturday matchup with New Orleans at the Farris Center. The game will begin at approximately 4 p.m. following the women's game between UCA and UNO.

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