WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Friday 1/5 vs. Evergreen, 5:30 pm (Livestats | Video Stream)
Saturday 1/6 vs. Northwest, 3:00 pm (Livestats | Video Stream)
 
Bushnell is coming off a 67-56 victory over No. 7 Lewis-Clark State College, its first win over a ranked team since Feb. 22, 2020. Not only was it the highest-ranked victory for the Beacons, but it was also the first-ever win over LC State. Aspen Slifka scored 30 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter alone, earning her CCC Player of the Week honors.
 
CONFERENCE OUTLOOK: Just one team remains undefeated in conference play, Oregon Tech, who holds an 11-0 overall record and 5-0 mark in conference action. The Owls are followed by LC State, who are 5-1 in conference action.  
 
Three CCC teams are on the latest NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll, led by LC State at No. 7. Southern Oregon sits at No. 20 while Oregon Tech is receiving votes.
 
The Beacons are currently ranked seventh in the CCC in scoring, averaging 60.2 points per game. On defense, Bushnell is third, allowing 58.1 ppg, while holding opponents to a second-best 35.1% from the floor. The team is third in field goal percentage (.410), and eighth in three-point shooting, hitting .274 from deep. The Beacons rank ninth in the CCC in rebounds per game (34.3).
 
Individually, Aspen Slifka climbed to third in the CCC in scoring (17.5 ppg) following her 29 and 30-point performances. Libby Mathis ranks ninth in scoring (14.5 ppg) and second in field-goal percentage, shooting 55.1% on the year. Mathis is third in rebounding, averaging 10.3 boards per game. Aly Mirabile is second in the conference in assists, averaging 4.0 per contest.
 
EVERGREEN: The Geoducks are 1-6 overall on the season and 1-4 in conference action, defeating Walla Walla in their win. Evergreen is coming off losses to Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech, both by near 30-point margins.  
 
Evergreen is currently 12^th in the CCC in scoring (54.6 ppg) and ninth defensively, allowing 69.9 points per game. The Geoducks are shooting 35.9% from the floor (10^th) on the year, including a .228 (12^th) mark from three-point range. They are seventh in rebounding, averaging 36.3 per contest.
 
Sydney Vanness leads the team in scoring, averaging 10.9 points per game, 22^nd in the CCC. Jalyn Sackrider is 14^th in rebounding, averaging 6.3 per game, and third in blocks (1.7/g). Jenna Glenzel, who averages 9.2 points per game, is tied for second in steals with 3.0 per contest.  
 
Bushnell holds a 19-13 advantage in the all-time series with Evergreen. The Beacons have won 14 straight games against the Geoducks.
 
NORTHWEST: The Eagles are 1-9 start to the year and 1-4 in CCC action with a win over Evergreen on December 8. Northwest is coming off a pair of close losses to NCAA Division III opponents, Linfield and Pacific Lutheran over the weekend.  
 
Northwest ranks 10^th in the CCC in scoring, averaging 59.4 points per game. Defensively, they rank 11^th, giving up 71.8 points per game. The Eagles are shooting 36.3% from the floor and 26.1% from beyond the arc, both ninth in the conference. Northwest ranks fourth in steals, averaging 9.8 per game.
 
Maya DuChesne is averaging 11.8 points per game, ranking her 17^th in the CCC, and is shooting 33.3% from three-point range (14^th). Kyrin Backlund is averaging 10 points per game (25^th) and is ninth in steals with 2.1 per contest.
 
Bushnell holds a 16-15 edge in the all-time series with Northwest with the Beacons taking six of the last seven.
 
 
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Friday 1/5 vs. Evergreen, 7:30 pm (Livestats | Video Stream)
Saturday 1/6 vs. Northwest, 5:00 pm (Livestats | Video Stream)
 
After a long layoff for the holidays, the Beacons (6-5, 3-2 CCC) resume Cascade Collegiate Conference action this weekend and play their first home games since December 10 as they take on Evergreen and Northwest.
 
CONFERENCE OUTLOOK: With the first half of the CCC slate well underway, Bushnell currently sits alone in sixth-place in the CCC with a 3-2 record. Lewis-Clark State sits alone on the top at 6-0, followed closely by No. 5 College of Idaho at 5-1. OIT, Corban, and Southern Oregon are all 4-1. 
 
Two Cascade Conference teams are included in the latest NAIA Men's Basketball Coaches Poll. The College of Idaho is fifth, followed by Oregon Tech at No. 24.
 
The Beacons are the top scoring team in the CCC, averaging 86.5 points per game. The next closest foe is Oregon Tech, averaging 84.3 ppg. The Beacons are ninth defensively, allowing 83.7 ppg.  The team is No. 1 for three-point shooting (.391) and No. 2 for overall field goal shooting (.469) and free-throw shooting (.756). The Beacons are also second in the conference in assists (16.5/g) and on top for assist-to-turnover ratio (1.7).
 
Individually, Kaden Sand ranks eighth in the conference in scoring (14.1 ppg) followed in 10^th by Stevie Schlabach (13.8). Spencer Hoffman leads the conference with 9.5 rebounds per game. Cory Johnson is second in the CCC in three-point shooting (.531, 26-for-49).
 
EVERGREEN: The Geoducks (1-9, 0-5 CCC) are still looking for their first Cascade Conference win of the season. Their last victory came over Willamette University on November 10.
 
Evergreen ranks 12^th in the CCC both offensively (66.1 ppg) and defensively (85.7 ppg allowed). Jayden Upshaw leads the team in scoring, averaging 9.9 points per game. Elijah McLaughlin follows closely with 9.4 ppg.
 
The Beacons are 20-12 in the all-time series with the Geoducks. With the exception of a CoVID-related forfeit in 2022, Bushnell has won 17 of the last 18 meetings and has scored at least 90 points in seven straight.
 
NORTHWEST: The Eagles (2-9, 1-4) are off to a rough start to the 2023-2024 season with their only wins coming against Portland Bible College and Evergreen. They have lost three straight since their win over the Geoducks.  
 
Northwest is currently eighth in the CCC in scoring (74.1 ppg) and seventh in defense (78.1 ppg allowed). They have the ability to counter one of Bushnell's biggest strengths as they are ranked third in the CCC against the three-pointer, allowing opponents to hit just 29.8% against them. Luke Howard leads the team, averaging 13.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
 
The Beacons hold a 17-15 edge against NU dating back to 2005, and have won three straight including the home-and-home sweep last season.