Northwestern State beats Houston Baptist 99-78

HOUSTON (AP) Zeek Woodley scored 22 points, Jalan West added 20 and five assists, and Northwestern State beat Houston Baptist 99-78 on Saturday in a Southland Conference opener.

Ta'Jon Welcome scored 13 points and the Demons (6-6, 1-0) outshot the Huskies 57.6 percent to 48.3 percent and outrebounded them 31-30.

Houston Baptist led 9-7 on a layup by Ricmonds Vilde, but Northwestern State's Tony Dobbinson hit a 3-pointer to spark a 13-2 run for a 20-11 Demons lead. Woodley scored five points amid an 8-2 run and the Demons led 54-37 at halftime. Woodley, the nation's No. 2 scorer at 22.8 per game, scored 10 in the half.

Houston Baptist gained ground on a 10-2 run capped by a jumper by Marcel Smith, but couldn't close. Woodley made back-to-back 3s to put the Demons up 97-76 with 1:16 to go.

Smith led the Huskies (5-6, 0-1) with 16 while Anthony Odunsi and Reveal Chukwujekwu scored 10 apiece.