HOUSTON (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum in the Southland Conference will meet Monday when the Northwestern State Demons visit the Houston Christian Huskies. Both teams enter with identical 6-12 overall records. Northwestern State (1-4 Southland) looks to bounce back from a narrow 76-74 road loss at Incarnate Word on Saturday. The Demons have shown a pattern of close contests, with their last five games all decided by six points or fewer, going 3-2 in that stretch. Houston Christian (2-3) snapped a five-game losing streak with an 81-70 home victory over Texas A&M-Commerce on Saturday. The win provided a needed boost for the Huskies, who had struggled offensively during their skid. A key matchup will feature two of the league’s top guards. Northwestern State’s Micah Thomas is averaging 17.6 points per game in conference play, coming off a 17-point, 4-assist performance against Incarnate Word. He has scored in double figures in 12 consecutive games. Houston Christian will counter with Kylin Green, who leads the Huskies in minutes and facilitation. He logged 39 minutes in a recent loss at Lamar, scoring 15 points with four assists. His ability to manage the game will be critical against Northwestern State’s pressure. The Demons rely heavily on their backcourt trio. Alongside Thomas, Izzy Miles (20 points) and Willie Williams (18 points) were prolific scorers in the recent loss. Houston Christian will need to improve its perimeter defense after allowing opponents to shoot 48% from the field during its losing streak. Monday’s contest at Sharp Gymnasium is the first of two regular-season meetings between the schools this season. They will meet again in Natchitoches, Louisiana, on Feb. 21. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. CST tipoff.