NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State Lady Demons will be looking to pick up their fourth win in the last five games when they host Grambling in the first game of a NSU-GU doubleheader on Wednesday, beginning at 5:45 in Prather Coliseum.

The men will follow with a game against the Tigers at 7:45.  The doubleheader has been tagged as “Police-Fireman Night” as all firemen and police officers will receive free admission to the game.

The Lady Demons (5-4) are coming off a thrilling 76-74 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday in their last game.  That win was the team’s 22^nd victory in the last 24 games played in Prather Coliseum dating back to the 2007-08 season, including a 4-1 mark this season.

“We love playing at home,” said head coach Jennifer Graf.  “Being on the road can really drain you, but the girls have done a really good job so far playing away from home.”

The Lady Demons will hit the road once again following Wednesday’s game for a 2 o’clock game at Memphis on Sunday, then after breaking for Christmas, NSU will play at Rice on Dec. 28.

Grambling (3-4) has dropped two straight after falling to Kansas State (87-62) and UTEP (54-40) at the Commerce Bank Wildcat Classic Dec. 4-5.

The Lady Demons will enter the game as the Southland Conference leader in 3-point shooting with a 39.9 percentage.  That mark also ranks NSU 14^th in the nation while junior guard Brooke Shepherd is 17^th in the Division I ranks with a 50 percent aim from long range.

NSU knocked down 10 treys in the win over UAPB  and came one 3-pointer away from tying a school record against LSU-Shreveport when it sank 13 treys.  The Lady Demons are averaging 7.0 3-point buckets a game – second best in the SLC.

“The girls have really been working hard on getting their shots and timing down,” said Graf.  “And being at home, hopefully we’ll get the friendly bounces.”

Expected to step back into the lineup on Wednesday will be junior point guard and team scoring leader Brittiany Houston.  Houston, who missed Saturday’s game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff to an illness, leads the team at 12 points per contest.

Shepherd (11.7 ppg) and Jessica McPhail (10.7 ppg) also tip the double-figure ranks and are expected to be joined in the lineup by Anna Cate Williams (5.8 ppg) and Sherrion Thomas (7.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg).

Grambling spreads the scoring around with no player averaging in double figures.  Wymeka Randle tops the team with a 9.8 average while Kiara Marshall and Alexis Watson are averaging 8.7 ppg.

Northwestern State leads the all-time series with the Lady Tigers 10-6.  NSU defeated Grambling 68-50 last year at Grambling in the first meeting between the two schools since the 1989-90 season.

The game will be broadcast by the Demon Sports Network, flagshipped by 100.7 FM KZBL of Natchitoches and including 92.1 FM KSYR in Shreveport.