# 2020–21 Northwestern State Demons basketball team

The 2020–21 Northwestern State Demons basketball team represented Northwestern State University in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Demons, led by 22nd-year head coach Mike McConathy, played their home games at Prather Coliseum in Natchitoches, Louisiana as members of the Southland Conference.

## Previous season

The Demons finished the 2019–20 season 15–15, 11–9 in Southland play to finish in a tie for fourth place. They defeated Texas A&M–Corpus Christi in the first round of the Southland tournament and were set to take on Sam Houston State in the second round until the tournament was cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Non-conference Regular season ||||||
| November 25, 2020* 6:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at No. 14 Texas Tech | L 58–101 | 0–1 | United Supermarkets Arena (3,345) Lubbock, TX |
| November 28, 2020* 3:00 pm | | vs. UT Arlington Louisiana Tech Classic | L 71–80 | 0–2 | Thomas Assembly Center (152) Ruston, LA |
| November 29, 2010* 1:00 pm | | at Louisiana Tech Louisiana Tech Classic | L 77–91 | 0–3 | Thomas Assembly Center (1,200) Ruston, LA |
| December 3, 2020* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at TCU | L 68–74 | 0–4 | Schollmaier Arena (1,659) Fort Worth, TX |
| December 6, 2020* 2:00 pm | | Louisiana–Monroe | L 83–92 | 0–5 | Prather Coliseum (825) Natchitoches, LA |
| December 12, 2020* 4:00 pm | | Champion Christian | W 77–44 | 1–5 | Prather Coliseum (419) Natchitoches, LA |
| December 18, 2020* 12:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Tulsa | L 55–82 | 1–6 | Reynolds Center Tulsa, OK |
| December 19, 2020* 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Missouri State | L 67–94 | 1–7 | JQH Arena (1,064) Springfield, MO |
| December 21, 2020* 8:00 pm, RTNW | | at No. 1 Gonzaga | L 57–95 | 1–8 | McCarthey Athletic Center Spokane, WA |
| December 22, 2020* 8:00 pm, RTNW | | at No. 1 Gonzaga | L 78–95 | 1–9 | McCarthey Athletic Center Spokane, WA |
| December 23, 2020* 4:00 pm, P12N | | at Washington State | L 52–62 | 1–10 | Beasley Coliseum Pullman, WA |
| Southland Regular season ||||||
| January 2, 2021 7:00 pm | | at Houston Baptist | L 93–99 $^{OT}$ | 1–11 (0–1) | Sharp Gymnasium (101) Houston, TX |
| January 6, 2021 6:30 pm | | Incarnate Word | L 67–75 | 1–12 (0–2) | Prather Coliseum (439) Natchitoches, LA |
| January 9, 2021 4:00 pm | | at McNeese State | W 78–75 | 2–12 (1–2) | Burton Coliseum Lake Charles, LA |
| January 13, 2021 6:30 pm | | Nicholls | L 66–76 | 2–13 (1–3) | Prather Coliseum (1,000) Natchitoches, LA |
| January 20, 2021 6:30 pm, ESPN+ | | at Stephen F. Austin | L 74–86 | 2–14 (1–4) | William R. Johnson Coliseum (1,297) Nacogdoches, TX |
| January 23, 2021 4:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Southeastern Louisiana | W 73–68 | 3–14 (2–4) | University Center (403) Hammond, LA |
| January 27, 2021 6:30 pm | | New Orleans | W 81–73 | 4–14 (3–4) | Prather Coliseum (975) Natchitoches, LA |
| January 30, 2021 4:00 pm | | at Central Arkansas | W 81–77 | 5–14 (4–4) | Farris Center (147) Conway, AR |
| February 6, 2021 3:00 pm | | Houston Baptist | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Prather Coliseum Natchitoches, LA |
| February 10, 2021 7:00 pm | | at Incarnate Word | W 68–67 | 6–14 (5–4) | McDermott Center (176) San Antonio, TX |
| February 13, 2021 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | McNeese State | W 69–66 | 7–14 (6–4) | Prather Coliseum (602) Natchitoches, LA |
| February 17, 2021 7:00 pm | | at Nicholls | Postponed due to weather | Postponed due to weather | Stopher Gymnasium Thibodaux, LA |
| February 22, 2021 6:30 pm | | Houston Baptist rescheduled from February 6 | W 86–80 | 8–14 (7–4) | Prather Coliseum (725) Natchitoches, LA |
| February 24, 2021 6:30 pm | | Stephen F. Austin | L 57–83 | 8–15 (7–5) | Prather Coliseum (1,086) Natchitoches, LA |
| February 27, 2021 3:00 pm | | Southeastern Louisiana | W 79–61 | 9–15 (8–5) | Prather Coliseum (504) Natchitoches, LA |
| March 1, 2021 6:00 pm | | at Nicholls rescheduled from February 17 | L 71–87 | 9–16 (8–6) | Stopher Gymnasium (233) Thibodaux, LA |
| March 3, 2021 7:00 pm | | at New Orleans | L 83–92 | 9–17 (8–7) | Lakefront Arena (551) New Orleans, LA |
| March 6, 2021 1:00 pm | | Central Arkansas | W 79–70 | 10–17 (9–7) | Prather Coliseum Natchitoches, LA |
| Southland tournament ||||||
| March 11, 2021 5:00 pm, ESPN+ | (4) | vs. (5) New Orleans Quarterfinals | W 82–79 | 11–17 | Merrell Center Katy, TX |
| March 12, 2021 5:00 pm, ESPN+ | (4) | vs. (1) Nicholls 3rd Round | L 76–88 | 11–18 | Merrell Center Katy, TX |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central. ||||||
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