# 2021–22 Northwestern State Demons basketball team

The 2021–22 Northwestern State Demons basketball team represented Northwestern State University in the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Demons, led by 23rd-year head coach Mike McConathy, played their home games at Prather Coliseum in Natchitoches, Louisiana as members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 9–23, 5–9 in Southland play to finish sixth place. They lost in the first round of the Southland tournament to McNeese State.
After the season, head coach Mike McConathy announced his retirement. On March 23, 2022, the school named former Missouri State assistant Corey Gipson the team's new head coach.

## Previous season

In a season limited due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Demons finished the 2020–21 season 11–18, 9–7 in Southland play to finish in fifth place. They defeated New Orleans in the quarterfinals of the Southland tournament, before falling to New Orleans in the semifinals.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Non-conference regular season ||||||
| November 9, 2021* 7:00 pm, BSOK | | at Oklahoma | L 59–77 | 0–1 | Lloyd Noble Center (6,022) Norman, OK |
| November 10, 2021* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Tulsa | L 75–82 | 0–2 | Reynolds Center (2,461) Tulsa, OK |
| November 13, 2021* 7:30 pm | | Champion Christian | W 91–62 | 1–2 | Prather Coliseum (508) Natchitoches, LA |
| November 15, 2021* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at SMU | L 48–95 | 1–3 | Moody Coliseum (3,184) University Park, TX |
| November 19, 2021* 7:30 pm | | Louisiana Tech Lanky Wells Memorial Classic | L 64–83 | 1–4 | Prather Coliseum (1,378) Natchitoches, LA |
| November 22, 2021* 2:00 pm | | vs. Louisiana–Monroe Lanky Wells Memorial Classic | L 66–96 | 1–5 | Thomas Assembly Center (112) Ruston, LA |
| November 28, 2021* 3:00 pm | | Stephen F. Austin | L 68–72 | 1–6 | Prather Coliseum (1,005) Natchitoches, LA |
| November 30, 2021* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at No. 15 Houston | L 58–99 | 1–7 | Fertitta Center (6,639) Houston, TX |
| December 4, 2021* 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Louisiana–Monroe | L 71–84 | 1–8 | Fant–Ewing Coliseum (1,321) Monroe, LA |
| December 11, 2021* 3:00 pm | | Dallas Christian | W 89–67 | 2–8 | Prather Coliseum (835) Natchitoches, LA |
| December 14, 2021* 6:00 pm, SECN | | at No. 19 LSU | L 49–89 | 2–9 | Pete Maravich Assembly Center (8,904) Baton Rouge, LA |
| December 18, 2021* 6:00 pm | | Southwestern Adventist | W 104–50 | 3–9 | Prather Coliseum (348) Natchitoches, LA |
| December 21, 2021* 5:00 pm, SECN+/ESPN+ | | at Texas A&M | L 61–80 | 3–10 | Reed Arena (5,440) College Station, TX |
| December 28, 2021* 7:00 pm, Big 12 Now | | at No. 1 Baylor | L 68–104 | 3–11 | Ferrell Center (6,516) Waco, TX |
| January 6, 2022* 5:00 pm, ESPN+ | | vs. Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Southland Basketball Tip-Off First Round | L 67–89 | 3–12 | Merrell Center (87) Katy, TX |
| January 7, 2022* 1:30 pm, ESPN+ | | vs. Nicholls Southland Basketball Tip-Off Consolation 2nd Round | W 83–80 | 4–11 | Merrell Center Katy, TX |
| January 8, 2022* 1:30 pm, ESPN+ | | vs. New Orleans Southland Basketball Tip-Off 5th Place Game | L 79–80 | 4–13 | Merrell Center (101) Katy, TX |
| Southland regular season ||||||
| January 15, 2022 4:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Southeastern Louisiana | L 74–79 | 4–14 (0–1) | University Center (375) Hammond, LA |
| January 20, 2022 7:00 pm | | at Nicholls | L 58–69 | 4–15 (0–2) | Stopher Gymnasium (325) Thibodaux, LA |
| January 22, 2022 4:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at New Orleans | L 77–85 | 4–16 (0–3) | Lakefront Arena (921) New Orleans, LA |
| January 27, 2022 7:30 pm | | Incarnate Word | W 79–70 | 5–16 (1–3) | Prather Coliseum (1,022) Natchitoches, LA |
| January 29, 2022 3:00 pm | | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | W 90–76 | 6–16 (2–3) | Prather Coliseum (1,005) Natchitoches, LA |
| February 3, 2022 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Houston Baptist | W 97–87 | 7–16 (3–3) | Sharp Gymnasium (462) Houston, TX |
| February 5, 2022 3:00 pm | | at McNeese State | L 84–93 | 7–17 (3–4) | The Legacy Center (2,115) Lake Charles, LA |
| February 10, 2022 7:30 pm | | Houston Baptist | L 69–76 | 7–18 (3–5) | Prather Coliseum (1,202) Natchitoches, LA |
| February 12, 2022 3:00 pm, ESPN+ | | McNeese State | L 75–80 | 7–19 (3–6) | Prather Coliseum (738) Natchitoches, LA |
| February 17, 2022 7:30 pm | | at Incarnate Word | W 88–64 | 8–19 (4–6) | McDermott Center (267) San Antonio, TX |
| February 19, 2022 3:30 pm, ESPN+ | | at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | L 76–83 | 8–20 (4–7) | American Bank Center (2,301) Corpus Christi, TX |
| February 24, 2022 7:30 pm | | Nicholls | L 62–80 | 8–21 (4–8) | Prather Coliseum (772) Natchitoches, LA |
| February 26, 2022 3:00 pm | | New Orleans | W 87–77 | 9–21 (5–8) | Prather Coliseum (648) Natchitoches, LA |
| March 5, 2022 3:00 pm | | Southeastern Louisiana | L 80–85 | 9–22 (5–9) | Prather Coliseum (654) Natchitoches, LA |
| Southland tournament ||||||
| March 9, 2022 7:30 pm, ESPN+ | (6) | vs. (7) McNeese State First round | L 67–80 | 9–23 | Merrell Center Katy, TX |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central. ||||||
Sources