NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State women's basketball team started its campaign for a second-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament when it officially opened preseason practice on Sunday in Prather Coliseum. 
 
NSU reeled off seven straight wins to close out the 2013-14 regular season and win Southland Conference Tournament when it claimed the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.  In order to claim that spot, Northwestern State had to defeat fifth-seeded Nicholls (69-65), top-seeded Lamar (61-40), and second seed Stephen F. Austin (62-44).
 
In the big dance, NSU kept pace with the Lady Vols of Tennessee all the way to halftime, and even tied the game two minutes into the second half before UT went on a 12-0 run to gain control at Thompson-Boling Arena.
 
In 2014-15, NSU welcomes back eight letterwinners from last year's team, including four of the five starters, Janelle Perez, Keisha Lee, Chelsea Rogers and Presley Owens.  The only starter lost was leading scorer and rebounder Trudy Armstead, who graduated with her degree and signed a contract to play professional basketball overseas.
 
Northwestern State welcomed seven newcomers as guard TaSheena Moore, guard Sami Thomas, forward Meghan Cross, guard Jackie Perez, forward Ndey Sonko, forward Andreal Fleming and forward Tia Youngblood took to the floor for their first official practice.  
 
Perez, who has been the Lady Demon point guard for two seasons, returns for her junior season after she averaged 10 points, four assists and two rebounds a game last season. She upped her assist total from 100 her freshman season to 142 last season.
 
Lee is 430 points away from claiming a spot in the Top 20 all-time leading scorers in Northwestern State history.  She scored 440 last season on her way to averaging 13.3 points per game, 3.2 assists and 2.2 assists per contest.
 
Rogers is the top returner on the glass from a year ago for NSU.  She averaged 5.3 rebounds per game and six points.  Presley Owens started 33 of NSU's 34 games last season, and is the lone returner at the forward position.
 
Also returning for Northwestern State is Beatrice Attura, who scored 11 points against Tennessee in the tourney game, Robin Richardson, Amy Staha and Arianne Ausmer.
 
NSU opens the season at home on Nov. 14 against LeTourneau at 6:30.