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Northwestern St. loses top scorer to injury

Iowa Hawkeyes v Northwestern State Demons

AUBURN HILLS, MI - MARCH 17: Head coach Mike McConathy of the Northwestern State Demons looks up on the sidelines during the First Round of the 2006 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament against the Iowa Hawkeyes at The Palace of Auburn Hills on March 17, 2006 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

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Northwestern State will be without its leading scorer for some time, though the exact length of his absence is somewhat unknown.

Zeek Woodley, who has led the Demons in scoring for three-straight seasons, will undergo surgery Friday for a broken wrist, the school announced Thursday. The 6-foot-2 senior could miss six-to-eight weeks, but the procedure he will undergo is being done with the hope that it “should improve chances for a faster recovery and return,” Northwestern State said in its release.

”It’s not exactly the Christmas present that he or I or our team was looking for,” coach Mike McConathy said, “but we’ll get through this and hopefully he’ll be back with us very soon.”

Woodley sustained the injury Monday in the first half of the team’s 100-93 loss to Rice, but stayed in the game and scored 10 second-half points.

“Hopefully it will heal quickly,” Woodley said. “I’ve just got to stay positive. I have faith in the team.

“My best friends, Sabri (Thompson) and Tra’von (Joseph), are the seniors who have to lead them until I get back. We can be a good team. They can get better, get better chemistry, while I’m gone.”

Woodley is averaging 17.6 points per game this season and is 70 away from the school’s all-time career record.

“It’s going to be tough because this is my last year,” Woodley said, “and I just want to play, but I have to wait patiently.”

The Demons are 5-5 on the year and placed Louisiana College next Wednesday before beginning Southland Conference play.