Northwestern State Demons

The Northwestern State Demons bring small-town Louisiana grit to the Southland Conference, playing their home games at Prather Coliseum in Natchitoches. Behind head coach Mike McConathy's long tenure, the Demons built a reputation as one of the league's most consistent giant-killers, capable of knocking off far bigger programs on the national stage. They're a program defined by March moments rather than regular-season headlines. For Southland rivals, Northwestern State is the team you least want to see across the bracket.

Northwestern State basketball is best remembered for a stunning 2006 NCAA Tournament upset, when the 14-seed Demons stunned 3-seed Iowa 64-63 on a Jermaine Wallace buzzer-beating three. It was the program's second of three NCAA Tournament trips, following a 2001 First Four win and preceding a 2013 Southland Tournament title run. Longtime coach Mike McConathy guided the Demons through their most successful era, cementing Prather Coliseum as one of the toughest small-gym environments in the league. The upset-minded identity remains the program's calling card today.