Heading into the 2021-2022 season, no one knew what to expect from the Northwestern State University of Louisiana Lady Demon basketball team. Only an offseason removed from a 1-19 campaign with a completely retooled roster and plenty of questions.

A lot of those questions have been answered in the early months of the season, and the Demons are looking to have a very impressive bounce-back season.

This team is having one of their best seasons in recent memory. Currently 7-4 on the year, NSU holds the best record in the Southland Conference with conference matchups expected to start Jan. 15 against Southeastern Louisiana.

NSU started off the season with an utterly dominant showing against Centenary College of Louisiana winning the contest 91-50. Junior center Jordan Todd was unstoppable in this game putting up 15 points, a season-high 15 rebounds and a season-high three blocks in just 20 minutes of action.

They then followed up that victory with another blowout against Texas A&M University Texarkana. Todd had another double-double performance with a 15 point and 14 rebound performance and senior guard Candice Parramore put up 21 points while shooting 7-8 from the free-throw line.

The Lady Demons fell short against the Grambling State University Tigers but followed up the disappointing performance with another blowout against a very solid team in the Louisiana Christian Wildcats winning 78-36.

With the exception of the most recent hard-fought loss to Tarleton State (and the previously mentioned loss to Grambling), the Lady Demons have only lost to Wichita State and Kansas State which are both established programs at larger universities.

We will be missing the SLC Tournament and the game against Kansas University due to COVID-19-related cancellations, which will give the Lady Demons plenty of time to rest and prepare for the first conference matchup against Southeastern Louisiana on Jan. 15.

When watching the Lady Demons play, the phrase that comes to mind time after time is “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” This group is a team, and they play like it. Each player has a role, each player understands that role, and when the team needs it most any player can rise to the occasion.

One day Todd will dominate down low, the next Parramore lights up the opponents from the perimeter while Bolden does the dirty work of rebounding and setting teammates up with open looks.

Multiple Lady Demons have received Southland Conference player of the week honors; Jordan Todd receiving week one honors, Jiselle Woodson week four honors, Candice Parramore week five honors and Monette Bolden week six honors.

NSU has had a player of the week in six of the seven weeks of play, and up to this point, no Demon has won the award twice. This is a testament to the mission of this team under the direction of Coach Anna Nimz, who is slowly building a dynasty in Natchitoches one win at a time.

The Lady Demons hope to continue their success into conference play, hunting for their first winning season since 2015.