# 2023–24 Northwestern State Demons basketball team

The 2023–24 Northwestern State Demons basketball team represented Northwestern State University in the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Demons, led by first-year head coach Rick Cabrera, played their home games at Prather Coliseum in Natchitoches, Louisiana as members of the Southland Conference.

## Preseason polls
### Southland Conference Poll

The Southland Conference released its preseason poll on October 10, 2023. Receiving 84 votes overall, the Demons were picked to finish fifth in the conference.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Southeastern | 144 (6) |
| 2 | McNeese | 142 (6) |
| 3 | New Orleans | 132 (3) |
| 4 | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | 124 (5) |
| 5 | Northwestern State | 84 |
| 6 | Nicholls | 71 |
| 7 | Texas A&M–Commerce | 66 |
| 8 | Houston Christian | 50 |
| 9 | Lamar | 45 |
| 10 | Incarnate Word | 42 |

### Preseason All-conference

No Demons players were selected as a Preseason All-conference member.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Non-conference regular season |||||||||
| November 6, 2023* 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | Dallas Christian | W 101–54 | 1–0 | 19 – J. Lane | 12 – J. Epps | 5 – J. Epps | Prather Coliseum (1,021) Natchitoches, LA |
| November 9, 2023* 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Tulane | L 71–88 | 1–1 | 23 – R. Forrest | 10 – J. Epps | 3 – tied (2) | Devlin Fieldhouse (4,100) New Orleans, LA |
| November 13, 2023* 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | Stephen F. Austin | L 70–96 | 1–2 | 23 – C. Davis | 10 – J. Epps | 5 – C. Forte | Prather Coliseum (1,111) Natchitoches, LA |
| November 16, 2023* 3:00 p.m. | | vs. Maine North Florida MTE Tournament | L 65–78 | 1–3 | 16 – J. Epps | 8 – J. Epps | 3 – C. Forte | UNF Arena (135) Jacksonville, FL |
| November 17, 2023* 6:00 p.m. | | at North Florida North Florida MTE Tournament | L 74–80 | 1–4 | 25 – R. Forrest | 8 – C. Forte | 5 – B. Bush | UNF Arena (1,229) Jacksonville, FL |
| November 18, 2023* 1:00 p.m. | | vs. Presbyterian North Florida MTE Tournament | L 75–78 | 1–5 | 25 – R. Forrest | 8 – J. Epps | 3 – J. Wilson | UNF Arena (221) Jacksonville, FL |
| November 28, 2023* 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Louisiana–Monroe | L 70–74 | 1–6 | 17 – B. Bush | 5 – C. Davis | 4 – C. Forte | Fant–Ewing Coliseum (909) Monroe, LA |
| December 2, 2023* 5:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at No. 9 Baylor | L 40–91 | 1–7 | 10 – J. Lane | 4 – tied (2) | 3 – C. Forte | Ferrell Center (8,432) Waco, TX |
| December 9, 2023* 1:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Southern Miss | L 74–83 | 1–8 | 24 – C. Davis | 8 – C. Davis | 4 – B. Bush | Reed Green Coliseum (3,699) Hattiesburg, MS |
| December 12, 2023* 8:00 p.m., MW Network | | at Boise State | L 54–95 | 1–9 | 21 – C. Davis | 4 – B. Bush | 5 – B. Bush | ExtraMile Arena (8,471) Boise, ID |
| December 16, 2023* 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Rice | L 51–76 | 1–10 | 10 – J. Wilson | 6 – C. Forte | 3 – B. Bush | Prather Coliseum (333) Natchitoches, LA |
| December 19, 2023* 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | Southern–New Orleans | W 99–75 | 2–10 | 30 – C. Davis | 15 – D. Posey | 10 – B. Bush | Prather Coliseum (510) Natchitoches, LA |
| December 29, 2023* 7:00 p.m., SECN+/ESPN+ | | at LSU | L 55–96 | 2–11 | 9 – tied (2) | 6 – tied (2) | 2 – tied (3) | Pete Maravich Assembly Center (8,256) Baton Rouge, LA |
| Southland regular season |||||||||
| January 6, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Lamar | L 70–90 | 2–12 (0–1) | 27 – C. Davis | 5 – C. Davis | 7 – B. Bush | Neches Arena (2,768) Beaumont, TX |
| January 8, 2024 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | McNeese | L 59–68 | 2–13 (0–2) | 17 – C. Davis | 7 – J. Wilson | 4 – tied (2) | Prather Coliseum (1,035) Natchitoches, LA |
| January 13, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Incarnate Word | W 97–71 | 3–13 (1–2) | 20 – J. Lane | 7 – C. Forte | 7 – C. Forte | Prather Coliseum (1,063) Natchitoches, LA |
| January 15, 2024 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | Houston Christian | W 69–64 | 4–13 (2–2) | 15 – B. Bush | 10 – D. Posey | 5 – C. Forte | Prather Coliseum (498) Natchitoches, LA |
| January 20, 2024 4:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at New Orleans | W 92–67 | 5–13 (3–2) | 18 – J. Wilson | 11 – J. Wilson | 7 – B. Bush | Lakefront Arena (1,030) New Orleans, LA |
| January 22, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Southeastern Louisiana | L 62–71 | 5–14 (3–3) | 15 – C. Davis | 7 – tied (2) | 4 – C. Davis | Pride Roofing University Center (658) Hammond, LA |
| January 27, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | L 68–79 | 5–15 (3–4) | 16 – J. Wilson | 5 – J. Wilson | 6 – C. Forte | Prather Coliseum (1,133) Natchitoches, LA |
| January 29, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at McNeese | L 65–89 | 5–16 (3–5) | 17 – C. Muribu | 6 – C. Forte | 5 – C. Forte | The Legacy Center (4,058) Lake Charles, LA |
| February 3, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Texas A&M–Commerce | W 70–57 | 6–16 (4–5) | 17 – J. Wilson | 8 – J. Wilson | 5 – C. Forte | Prather Coliseum (937) Natchitoches, LA |
| February 5, 2024 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Nicholls | L 66–73 | 6–17 (4–6) | 25 – C. Davis | 6 – D. Posey | 4 – B. Bush | Stopher Gymnasium (625) Thibodaux, LA |
| February 10, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Southeastern Louisiana | L 59–69 | 6–18 (4–7) | 17 – C. Davis | 7 – D. Posey | 5 – C. Forte | Prather Coliseum (1,000) Natchitoches, LA |
| February 12, 2024 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | New Orleans | W 70–59 | 7–18 (5–7) | 14 – C. Forte | 6 – J. Lane | 7 – C. Forte | Prather Coliseum (621) Natchitoches, LA |
| February 17, 2024 5:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Incarnate Word | W 81–61 | 8–18 (6–7) | 18 – J. Slack | 7 – C. Forte | 3 – tied (2) | McDermott Center (150) San Antonio, TX |
| February 19, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | L 61–72 | 8–19 (6–8) | 16 – D. Posey | 9 – D. Posey | 3 – C. Forte | American Bank Center (1,149) Corpus Christi, TX |
| February 24, 2024 3:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Houston Christian | W 86–73 | 9–19 (7–8) | 19 – B. Bush | 7 – J. Wilson | 5 – C. Forte | Sharp Gymnasium (431) Houston, TX |
| March 2, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Lamar | L 77–82 $^{OT}$ | 9–20 (7–9) | 24 – J. Wilson | 6 – J. Wilson | 6 – C. Forte | Prather Coliseum (1,127) Natchitoches, LA |
| March 4, 2024 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | Nicholls | L 62–68 | 9–21 (7–10) | 15 – B. Bush | 8 – J. Lane | 7 – C. Forte | Prather Coliseum (745) Natchitoches, LA |
| March 6, 2024 7:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Texas A&M–Commerce | L 80–83 $^{3OT}$ | 9–22 (7–11) | 29 – J. Wilson | 10 – C. Forte | 5 – B. Bush | The Field House (837) Commerce, TX |
| Southland tournament |||||||||
| March 10, 2024 7:30 p.m., ESPN+ | (6) | vs. (7) Texas A&M–Commerce First round | L 64–69 | 9–23 | 20 – Ju. Wilson | 9 – Ju. Wilson | 3 – C. Forte | The Legacy Center (687) Lake Charles, LA |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central. |||||||||
Sources: