SOU NOTES

ASHLAND – The Southern Oregon men's basketball team will try to build on its recent 5-1 stretch when the Raiders host Concordia and Warner Pacific in a pair of Cascade Collegiate Conference contests this week.

Southern Oregon, 10-5 overall and 3-1 in conference play, will face the Cavaliers on Thursday, with the 17th-ranked Knights coming to Ashland on Friday. Both games will start at 7:30 p.m.

Friday's game will feature a fundraiser partnering Southern Oregon with Hope4Hoopers to collect athletic shoes for kids in need. Instead of paying the traditional admission fees, fans will have the opportunity to donate a pair of shoes (new or gently used) to receive entry to the contests. All sizes for men and women will be accepted, and each pair of shoes donated enters the donor into a raffle drawing for t-shirts, backpacks and a signed basketball.

Southern Oregon has outscored its opponents 1,146-1,097 this season while shooting 47.9 percent from the field (391-of-816). The Raiders rank second in the CCC and fourth in the NAIA in free throw percentage (.757). Eric Thompson (Roseburg, Ore./Roseburg) is averaging 20.6 points per game to lead the CCC and rank eighth in the nation, shooting 48.5 percent from the field (111-of-229).

Thompson also ranks second in the league in rebounding, averaging 8.1 boards per game, and leads the league in free throw percentage (.859). Jordan Highland (Tualatin, Ore./Tualatin) ranks eighth in the CCC with a 57.3 shooting percentage (63-of-110) and is averaging 11.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Concordia ranks sixth in the CCC standings with a 1-2 record, 8-5 overall. The Cavaliers lead the conference in scoring with an average of 85.9 points per game, and their +14.9 scoring margin ranks fourth. Their 54.5 team field goal percentage leads the nation, while their 39.3 three-point percentage ranks second in the conference. The Cavs limit opponents to a league-best 28.4 shooting percentage from beyond the arc, and their +12 rebounding margin is also a league-best mark.

Adam Herman's 70.7 shooting percentage leads the nation, while his 20.2 points-per-game average ranks second in the conference and his 7.5 average rebounds per game is tied for fifth-best in the CCC. Kevan West (13.5) and Jourdan Sweeney (13.3) rank 13th and 14th in scoring, and Sweeney's 7.2 rebounds per game ranks seventh. Gage Aker ranks second in assists per game with an average of 5.64 per contest. Concordia has won four of its last five games, with an 80-76 loss to No. 17 Warner Pacific in its last contest.

Southern Oregon has faced Concordia 50 times in a series that stretches back to the 1979-80 season. The Raiders own a 26-24 all-time record against the Cavaliers, including a 10-5 record in the last 15 meetings. The teams split last season, with the Raiders winning 85-79 in Portland and the Cavaliers winning 85-74 in Ashland.

Warner Pacific is ranked 17th in the latest NAIA poll and is tied for second in the CCC standings with a 3-0 record, 11-3 overall. The Knights rank fourth in the conference in scoring (82.5 points per game), and their +15.3 scoring margin ranks third. They lead the CCC in assists (18.57 per game) and steals (11.93) and rank second in blocks (3.64) and turnover margin (+5.36).

Biniam Tadele leads the team in scoring with an average of 11.6 points per game, with William Sharp right behind at 11.2. Stephen Harris ranks fourth in the conference in rebounding (7.6 per game), while Sharp leads the league in assists (5.64), ranks second in free throw percentage (.844) and third in steals (2.5). The Knights have won eight of their past nine games, with the lone loss a 63-50 defeat at Lewis & Clark on Dec. 7.

Southern Oregon has faced Warner Pacific 49 times since the teams first met during the 1968-69 season. The Raiders have a 22-27 record against the Knights, but Warner Pacific has won 12 of the past 13 meetings. Last season, SOU snapped an 11-loss streak to the Knights with a 77-46 road victory, with WPC picking up a 68-65 win in Ashland.