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| School Name: | Northwestern State University |
| Location: | Natchitoches, Louisiana |
| Arena: | Prather Coliseum |
| Capacity: | 3,900 |
| Conference: | Southland |
| Head coach: | Mike McConathy |
Northwestern State University, often called NSU or Northwestern, is a public four-year university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.
NSU's athletic teams go by the Demons, with women's athletic teams generally called the Lady Demons, and its mascot is Vic the Demon. The school competes in the Southland Conference.
"Fork 'em" is a hand gesture and slogan used by students at Northwestern State University in their celebration of sports teams. The gesture is performed by curling the ring and middle fingers under the thumb against the palm, and extending the pinky and index fingers – identical in fashion to the the University of Texas "Hook 'em Horns" gesture.
On March 17, 2006, NSU's 14th-seeded basketball team shocked the college basketball world by defeating 3rd-seeded and Big Ten Conference tournament champion Iowa in the first round of the 2006 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament on a late three-pointer by Jermaine Wallace. NSU was the lowest-seeded team to advance to the second round in 2006. NSU's men's basketball team also won the inaugural play-in game, beating the Winthrop University Eagles 71-67 in 2001 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.