SOU NOTES

ASHLAND – The Southern Oregon men's basketball team looks to rebound from a recent 1-2 stretch with a pair of Cascade Collegiate Conference home games this season, hosting College of Idaho on Friday and No. 25 Eastern Oregon on Saturday at Bob Riehm Arena.

Southern Oregon, 13-7 overall and 6-3 in conference play this season, is tied with Eastern Oregon for fourth place in the conference standings midway through the season. The Raiders will look to solidify a spot in the CCC top four to earn the chance to host a conference tournament game.

College of Idaho ranks ninth in the CCC standings with a 1-8 record, 6-14 overall. The Coyotes are averaging 66.8 points per game and have outscored opponents by an average of 0.3 points per contest. The Yotes rank third in the conference in blocks (3.4 per game) and opponent shooting percentage (.408).

Matt Ballenger ranks fifth in the conference in scoring, averaging 17.0 points per game, and he ranks fourth in steals (2.35) and 13th in assists (3.05). Rick Tolman averages 5.4 rebounds per game to lead the Yotes. College of Idaho has lost 10 of its last 12 games, including an 80-62 loss to Eastern Oregon last weekend.

Southern Oregon has faced College of Idaho 61 times since the 1960-61 season, with the Raiders owning a 19-42 all-time record against the Coyotes. The Raiders won seven in a row against C of I between the 2003-04 and 2005-06 seasons, but since then the Yotes have won 10 of the last 12 meetings. The Raiders staged a 22-point comeback to win the first meeting between the teams this season, defeating the Yotes 64-61 in Caldwell last month.

Eastern Oregon is ranked 25th in the latest NAIA Poll and is tied for fourth in the CCC with a 6-3 record, 13-5 overall. The Mountaineers are averaging 83.9 points per game and have outscored opponents by an average of 13.8 points per contest. They rank fifth in the NAIA in rebounding margin (+10.6) and sixth in overall rebounding (43.1).

Jamar Johnson ranks 10th in scoring (14.0 points per game) with Travares Peterson ranking 12th (13.1) and Trent Roos ranking 14th (13.0). Ervin Felder leads the conference in rebounding (8.2) and ranks fifth in field goal percentage (.592). Eastern Oregon has won four of its last five games, including a home win over College of Idaho last weekend.

Southern Oregon has faced Eastern Oregon 173 times in a series that stretches to the 1930-31 season. During that stretch, the Raiders have won 92 games against the Mountaineers, SOU's second-highest win total against any opponent (102 against Western Oregon). Eastern Oregon has held the advantage in the past five seasons, winning 12 of the last 13 meetings between the teams, including the last eight. In the teams' first meeting this season, the Raiders overcame a double-digit deficit in the final two minutes to force overtime before falling 88-82 to No. 23 EOU in La Grande last month.

Southern Oregon averages 76.1 points per game with an average scoring margin of +3.1. The Raiders rank second in the CCC and seventh in the NAIA in free throw percentage (.739), and SOU's .470 field goal percentage ranks third in the conference.

Eric Thompson (Roseburg, Ore./Roseburg) is averaging 20.2 points per game to lead the CCC and rank 11th in the nation, and he also ranks second in the league in rebounding, averaging 7.8 boards per game, and ranks second in free throw percentage (.850). Jordan Highland (Tualatin, Ore./Tualatin) ranks eighth in the CCC with a 57.4 shooting percentage (89-of-155) and is averaging 12.1 points per game, while Terriel Thomas (Boise, Idaho/Borah) ranks eighth in the conference in rebounding (6.9).