HANGING ON—Southeastern’s Chris Wilson catches a touchdown pass despite the efforts of Northwestern State cornerback Cashas Pollard in the first quarter. By John Lenz

Just like Tina Turner, the Southeastern Lions never - EVER - do anything nice and easy. They like to do it nice and rough.

But do it they did Saturday night before a rollicking packed house in Strawberry Stadium, where a crowd of 7,162 watched Southeastern build another solid-looking fourth-quarter lead, then hang on by the toenails to defeat Northwestern State 26-21.

Given the adversity they dealt with this week, there was no need to rate style points. Playing without head coach Mike Lucas, they delivered an inspired performance and gutted it out right to the end, when twice they allowed successful onside kicks - the first was erased by penalty - to make sure the Demons (4-3, 1-1) got another chance to beat them.

But unlike the loss two weeks ago at Stephen F. Austin, the Lions found one more big play - from safety Tommy Connors, naturally. His interception with 1:19 to play allowed the Lions to run the ‘Victory' play - quarterback Brian Babin kneeling down on two snaps.

“We learned a little thing today,” said offensive coordinator and acting head coach Tommy Condell. “We took a step. We finished.”

The Lions (4-3, 1-1) survived on the strength of a defensive effort which frequently bent over almost double - but rarely broke. Northwestern State tailback Byron Lawrence slashed and dashed for 159 yards on 26 carries, and quarterback Drew Branch threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns.

But the Lions also forced the Demons to cough up the football four times, and Connors also blocked a crucial second-half field goal to break Northwestern State's momentum. Mark Newbill and Marquis Powell also recovered fumbles that thwarted long Demon drives deep into Lion territory.

“That's what we thrive on,” Connors said. “We don't like to be a bend-but-don't break, but we did it twice in the first half. That was what it came down to - some big plays all around.

“You're not going to beat anybody doing that,: NSU coach Scott Stoker said. “We were lucky to be where we were at to have a chance to win it at the end.

“Hey, we did it to ourselves. Not to take anything from Southeastern. We dropped the ball, you get things called back. It's frustrating.”

But it wasn't as if the Lions didn't have offensive weapons as well. For the first time this year, All-SLC running back Jay Lucas got loose. Lucas ran for a season-high 120 yards on 19 carries, but just as big were four catches for 91 yards, including a pair of huge screen plays that got the offense rolling.

Thanks to the turnovers, the Lions pitched a shutout in the first half. They broke on top when a Lion punt hit a Demon and Southeastern recovered at the Northwestern 30. Four plays later, Babin hit Chris Wilson in the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown play. Northwestern blocked the PAT to leave it 6-0.

The Lions thwarted a Demon drive when Travis Williams forced Lawrence to cough up the ball and Marquis Powell recovered at the Lion 21.

Turner missed a chance to stretch the lead when his 40-yard field goal attempt went wide left, but he got it back early in the second quarter when Lucas turned a screen pass into a 33-yard gainer to set up Turner's 46-yard field goal for a 9-0 lead that stood through halftime.

Northwestern State made a move off the second half kickoff, driving 70 yards in six plays, with Lawrence getting 57 of those on a 39-yard burst and later a 10-yard touchdown run that pulled the Demons to within 9-7.

But the Lions replied with a clutch seven-play, 86-yard scoring march, highlighted by Babin's 53-yard bomb to Kory Theodore.

That set up Babin's 5-yard touchdown pass to Kentwood's Andre Cryer on 3rd-and-goal to give the Lions a 16-7 cushion with 4:34 left in the third period.

The Demons, however, came back behind Branch, who had 52 of the yards with four completions in a 12-play, 56-yard drive capped by Branch's 9-yard TD strike to Darius Duffy that pulled the Demons to within 16-14.

But on this night the Lions had a killer instinct, and they answered right back with a 58-yard drive fueled by a 49-yard Babin-to-Wilson hookup and a killer pass interference penalty on the goal line that gave the drive new life on a third down play.

Jasper Ducksworth ran five yards to the one, then Babin snuck in from the 1 to make it 23-14 with 10:34 to play.

Northwestern State came back with another long march, but the Lions finally stiffened and that's when Connors rose up and blocked a 26-yard field goal attempt by Robert Weeks - his first field goal miss all season - to keep it a nine-point game.

The Lions then stopped the Demons on downs at their own 21 with 4:06 to play and Turner's 40-yard field goal made it 26-14 with 3:36 remaining.

But the Demons wouldn't die. Branch drove them 61 yards in just 1:20 to score on an 18-yard touchdown pass to James Swanson that made it 26-21 - still with 2:08 to play.

Amazingly, Northwestern State staged two successful onside kicks. The first was erased by a penalty, but they came right back and did it again to take over at their own 37 with 2:04 left to win it.

But three plays later, Connors jumped Branch's pass to Dudley Guice, and the Lions had their win.

“It was fun, Condell said. “I'm thinking, you've got to be kidding me. But we need to be in those situations.

“And it's always good to learn those lessons when you win one.”