WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Friday 1/6 vs. Southern Oregon, 5:30 pm (Livestats | Video Stream)
Saturday 1/7 vs. Oregon Tech, 3:00 pm (Livestats | Video Stream)
 
Bushnell (9-3, 6-1 CCC) sits in a tie for second in the CCC standings with No. 23 Southern Oregon and No. 20 Eastern Oregon following a pair of road wins last weekend.
 
CCC OUTLOOK: It's a close fight at the top of the standings as No. 10 Lewis-Clark State College (7-0) holds the top spot. The Beacons, EOU and SOU are just one game ahead of Oregon Tech (5-2) and Corban (5-2). Bushnell takes on both Southern and OIT this weekend.   
 
CCC RANKS: The Beacons rank fourth in the conference in scoring, averaging 67.8 points per game, and are third in both field-goal percentage (.408) and three-point percentage (.332). Defensively, Bushnell ranks eighth in the CCC, allowing 62.5 points per contest.
 
Bella Pedrojetti leads the Beacons in scoring, averaging 14.1 points per game. Pedrojetti ranks third in the conference in three-point shooting, making 42.7% of attempts on the season. She has reached double-digit scoring in all but two games, including a career-high 24 points at Evergreen last weekend.
 
Aspen Slifka is also averaging double-figures with 11 points per game on 41.7% shooting. Libby Mathis ranks fourth in the CCC in field-goal percentage, making 53.3% of her shots. The junior is averaging 8.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks (4^th in CCC) per game. Kalina Rojas is averaging 7.7 points and a team-leading 7.6 rebounds per game (7^th in CCC).
 
MILESTONE WATCH: Aspen Slifka needs 12 points to move into fourth on Bushnell's all-time scoring list. She (1,113) currently sits behind Elise Gray (1,124).
 
SOUTHERN OREGON: The Raiders (10-3, 6-1 CCC) enter the weekend ranked No. 23 in the nation. They lead the conference defensively, allowing just 53.3 points per game, which ranks eighth in the NAIA. SOU is fifth in the CCC in scoring, averaging 63.3 points per contest.
 
SOU is led by senior guard Brianna Phiakhamngon, who is averaging 14.7 points per game and is shooting 40.7% from three, both fifth-best marks in the CCC. Kami Walk, who is coming off a 21-point performance at Warner Pacific, is averaging 12.7 points and a team-high 6.8 rebounds per game. Kalei Iwami, a senior guard, is averaging 11.9 points per game and is the top free throw shooting in the conference (.867).
 
Southern Oregon holds a 26-6 advantage in the all-time series, but the sides are 3-3 in the last six meetings. The Raiders took both games last season, winning 69-62 in Ashland and 72-66 in Eugene.
 
OREGON TECH: The Owls (9-4, 5-2 CCC) have won their last four and have fallen to only EOU and SOU in conference play, two of the teams ranked among the Top-25. OIT ranks second in the conference in scoring, averaging 72.8 points per game and are fifth defensively, giving up 60.6 points per contest. They rank second in field-goal percentage (.442), three-point percentage (.353) and free throw percentage (.751).
 
Olivia Sprague leads the conference in scoring, averaging 19.8 points per game. The sophomore guard ranks second in the NAIA in three-point shooting, making 56.3%. Sprague also leads the conference in steals with 38 on the year (2.9 per game). Maddyson Tull is averaging 13.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
 
The Owls hold a 20-12 record in the all-time series but the Beacons have won the last four, including a memorable 83-77 overtime win in the CCC Quarterfinal last season.
 
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Friday 1/6 vs. Southern Oregon, 7:30 pm (Livestats | Video Stream)
Saturday 1/7 vs. Oregon Tech, 5:00 pm (Livestats | Video Stream)
 
The Beacons (5-8, 3-4 CCC) have won three of their last four and find themselves in a four-way tie for sixth-place in the Cascade Conference as they head to another road weekend at Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech.   
 
NAIA-ERA RECORD: Last weekend, Junior Stevie Schlabach became Bushnell's NAIA-Era scoring leader, jumping to 1324 career points. He passed Austin Kuemper (1308) for the record and also passed Joe Willis to move into fourth on Bushnell's All-Time scoring list. Next up: Hall of Fame inductee Mitch Naylor sits in third with 1,453 points from 1995-1999.
 
NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Junior Spencer Hoffman continued his hot streak this weekend, scoring 20 or more points in his seventh and eighth straight games. He was rewarded for his efforts with not just a Cascade Conference Player of the Week honor, but the NAIA National Player of the Week award as well. He is the first Beacon men's basketball player to be selected for the national acclaim in five years.
 
CCC OUTLOOK: It remains early as two weekends still remain in the first half of circuit play, but conference front-runners are emerging with No. 3 College of Idaho leading the way at 7-0, followed closely by Corban and Eastern Oregon at 6-1. From there, only two games separate the next seven schools.
 
CONFERENCE/NAIA RANKS: After averaging over 100 points per game last weekend, the Beacons have moved up to No. 1 in the Cascade Conference in scoring, averaging 87.3 points per game. That total also ranks 13^th in the NAIA. The team is just 10^th in the CCC defensively, however, allowing 92.6 ppg. Bushnell is also first in the conference in field goal percentage (.502), first in three-point percentage (.407) and second for free-throws (.798). The Beacons are third in the CCC in assists (17.0 apg).
 
Individually, Spencer Hoffman remains fifth in the conference in scoring (18.2 ppg) while Stevie Schlabach is 10th (15.9). Hoffman is also second in rebounding (9.5 rpg) and field goal percentage (.633).  Cory Johnson leads the CCC in three-point shooting (.565) followed by Schlabach in second (.538). Trevon Richmond ranks second in the conference in assists (4.5 apg).
 
SOUTHERN OREGON: The Raiders (8-5, 4-3 CCC) have won five of their last six games and come in after splitting a road trip in Portland to close out 2022. SOU is third in the CCC in scoring (85.2 ppg) and fifth in defense (78.1 ppg allowed). They lead the CCC in assists, averaging 17.7 per game on 31 made buckets.
 
Atmar Mundu leads the Raiders this season, averaging 18.4 points per game. His has been the leading scoring in seven games and has done his best Spencer Hoffman impression with over 20 points in his last three outings. His is shooting 51.4% from three-point range and averages 3.2 triples per game.
 
Friday will be the 61^st meeting between the programs with SOU holding a 32-27 lead in the series. The Raiders have won five of the last six meetings with the teams splitting last season's series as each team won on the road. The Beacons hold an 18-13 margin in the series since joining the CCC.
 
OREGON TECH: An NAIA national qualifier last season, the Owls (6-7, 3-4) have struggled to begin the 2022-2023 season and are one three teams currently tied with Bushnell for sixth-place in the CCC. They have, however, won three of their last four games coming into the weekend.
 
The Owls are sixth in the CCC in scoring, averaging 82.9 points per game, and sixth in defense, allowing 79.2 ppg. They are second in the conference behind Bushnell for field goal percentage, hitting 48.8% of their shots, and they are second in blocking, averaging 4.2 per contest.
 
Joey Potts leads the offense, ranked 16^th in the CCC with 13.6 points per game. He is the top blocker in the conference individually, averaging 2.9 per game. Erik Fraser is close behind at 12.3 ppg followed by Keegan Shivers at 11.5 ppg. Kody Bauman is the only player in the CCC with a better shooting percentage than Spencer Hoffman, hitting 64.2% of his buckets.
 
Bushnell and Oregon Tech have a long history with OIT leading the series, 52-15 including six wins in a row. Danny Miles Court has not been friendly to the Beacons as the Owls hold a 34-3 record against Bushnell at home. In fact, the Beacons have won there just twice in the last 38 years, the last coming in 2019.