ESPN Men's Basketball

HOUSTON (AP) -- Trey Gilder scored 19 points, including 12 in the second half, to lead Northwestern State to a 78-65 win over Lamar in a semifinal game of the men's Southland Conference Basketball Tournament on Friday night.

Northwestern (17-14), the No. 3 seed, never trailed in the game and advanced to Sunday's final with its fourth win in five games. The Demons won the tournament last season and defeated Iowa in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Lamar, a first-round winner over second-seeded Sam Houston on Thursday, missed its first nine shots. The Cardinals (15-17) tied the game at 11-11 but never took the lead.

Colby Bargeman scored 16 points, Jermaine Spencer put in 12 and Luke Rogers added 10 for Northwestern, which forced 20 turnovers and hit 6-of-14 3-pointers.

The Cardinals were led by 7-1 junior center James Davis, who scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Currye Todd added 17 points for Lamar, which shot 39 percent from the floor and made just 3-of-21 3-pointers.

Northwestern led 39-27 at halftime.