Malik Metoyer, sophomore guard, tore his ACL, meniscus and LCL all in one workout three months ago. Before this major setback, Metoyer averaged 4.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.

It was difficult for Metoyer to watch teammates battle on the court knowing he could be out there making a difference.

“I feel that I wasn’t even supposed to go to the school and work out,” Metoyer said. “I let my team down. I feel that I was supposed to be the man to get my team over that hump.”

Northwestern State’s men’s basketball team had a rocky season filled with injuries, losing Metoyer for the spring 2017 season, also losing Zeek Woodley for the majority, Josh Boyd temporarily and Sabri Thompson in the last game.

The Demons were 13-16 overall and 7-11 in Southland, which should have landed them a spot in the conference tournament. Ishmael Lane and Sabri Thompson discussed why they were kicked out of the tournament.

If they won three consecutive games, which they did, they would compete in the conference. The Demons beat Southland champion UNO, runner-up Stephen F. Austin and, most recently, secured a victory against Central Arkansas on Saturday, March 4.

The Demons did not advance to the conference tournament due to a five-way tiebreaker between teams that were 7-11, including tournament ineligibles Incarnate Word and Abilene Christian. NSU was 3-1 against the two eligible teams in the tie, UCA and Nicholls.