SOU NOTES

ASHLAND – Following a 2-1 performance in last weekend's Flagship Inn Classic, the Southern Oregon men's basketball team will host Northwest Christian and Corban this weekend in the first Cascade Collegiate Conference contests of the 2011-12 season.

Southern Oregon 5-4 overall this season, will host Northwest Christian on Friday and Corban on Saturday, with start times scheduled for 7:30 p.m. both nights at Bob Riehm Arena.

Northwest Christian is 5-4 this season, with wins over Saint Martin's and George Fox last weekend. The Beacons have outscored their opponents 576-566 and have averaged 64.0 points per game. Trevor Parker leads the team with an average of 12.1 points per game on 55.6 percent shooting (45-of-81). Brian Hampton and Jordan Buhler are each averaging 10.3 points per game, and Buhler leads the team with an average of 5.9 rebounds per game.

Southern Oregon has faced Northwest Christian 37 times since the 1980-81 season, with the Raiders owning a 21-16 record against the Beacons during that stretch. The Raiders dominated the first 20 years of the series, winning 20 of 27 meetings prior to the 1999-2000 season. Since then, Northwest Christian has won nine of 10 meetings, with the lone SOU win a 71-63 road victory last season.

Corban is 5-4 overall this season and split a pair of games over the weekend, losing to Western Oregon before defeating Willamette. The Warriors have outscored their opponents 682-582 and are averaging 75.8 points per game on 48.5 percent shooting (238-of-491). They have also out-rebounded their opponents by an average of 9.0 per contest. Jordan Carter leads the team with an average of 14.6 points per game while grabbing 6.1 rebounds per contest. Erik Cronrath is averaging 13.7 points and James Green is grabbing a team-high 6.4 rebounds per game.

Southern Oregon has faced Corban 71 times since the 1967-68 season and owns a 32-39 all-time record against the Warriors.  The Raiders have had had their most success against the Warriors in recent years, going 10-4 in the last 14 meetings between the teams, including a 97-90 home win in overtime last season.

The Raiders have outscored their opponents 717-679 this season while shooting 49.8 percent from the field (253-of-508). They have connected on 81 percent of their free throw attempts (153-of-189), a mark that leads the NAIA. Eric Thompson (Roseburg, Ore./Roseburg) is averaging 22.9 points per game to lead the team and rank third in the nation, shooting 52.5 percent from the field (74-of-141). Thompson also leads the team in rebounding, averaging 8.1 boards per game. Jordan Highland (Tualatin, Ore./Tualatin) ranks ninth in the nation with a 65.2 shooting percentage (43-of-66) and is averaging 13.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.