Friday, 5:30 p.m. - #15 SOU at  #10 Concordia - Live Stats - Live Stream
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. - #15 SOU at Warner Pacific - Live Stats - Live Stream

ASHLAND – The best way to forget about the Cascade Conference road trip that effectively derailed the Southern Oregon men's basketball team's 2013-14 season might just be to take it again.

Not that the Raiders (9-1 overall) have a choice in the matter, but that's what they'll do as they travel to Portland for their CCC openers Friday against the Concordia Cavaliers (8-1) and Saturday against the Warner Pacific Knights (7-2). Both games are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.

Last season's trip to those occurred in the final weekend of the regular season. When the Raiders arrived, they were ranked 14^th with a field-goal percentage of 51 and a 3-point percentage of 39. They were spit out with two losses in which they shot 30 percent from the field (37-for-123) and 17 percent from 3 (10-for-71), ultimately getting dropped from the rankings altogether and missing the NAIA tournament by one spot.

So, yeah – if the heeling isn't done yet, this could help.

Winning now won't be any easier. The Cavaliers' impressive preseason launched them from 25^th to 10^th in the NAIA rankings, moving them ahead of 15^th-ranked SOU even though it went nearly unscathed. And the Knights, who were a part of nine straight NAIA tournament fields until last season, return four starters.

The Raiders finished their preseason on a positive note by defeating 22^nd-ranked Cal Maritime 74-70 behind Eric Thompson (Roseburg, Ore./Roseburg)'s 21 points last Friday, and doing it without Thompson in a 76-61 win over Menlo behind Tim Weber (Roseburg, Ore./Roseburg)'s 23 points on Saturday. After going scoreless in last Tuesday's win at Simpson, the Raider bench averaged 22 points on the weekend.

SOU is not equipped to win without Thompson against higher-quality opponents, though. His 25.6 points per game rank fifth in the NAIA and he's doing it efficiently again, having made at least half of his attempts in six straight games. On occasions when Thompson has shot 50 percent or better over the last three seasons, the Raiders are 39-4.

Weber is leading the CCC in assists at 6.5 per game, also chipping in 11.9 points and 7.7 rebounds. Jordan West (Gymea Bay, Australia/Port Hacking) has been steady at 11.7 points and 5.2 rebounds, and freshman Ben DeSaulnier (Philomath, Ore./Philomath) scored more points in his last two games (26) than he did in his first eight combined (22).

As a team, the Raiders have shot 50 percent or better six times this season and 21 times over the last two seasons, during which time just six opponents have reached that mark.

"I think we've found that our starting group is pretty good and our bench is making some strides but still needs to do a lot of developing," SOU coach Brian McDermott said. "We're making progress, and we're gonna have to keep making progress to get through this league."

About Concordia: The Raiders had won four straight on the Cavaliers' court until last February's thumping, and have won 15 of 22 in the last 10 years of the series. This is the highest-ranked Concordia team in that time, however, despite the loss of CCC player of the year Adam Herman.  Four of their starters – Tyler Velasquez (18.0), Anthony Holton (12.0), Thomas Pierce (11.8) and Justyn Searle (11.6) – are among the CCC's top-25 scorers, and Esvan Middleton leads the NAIA in rebounding (12.0).

The highlight of Concordia's preseason was back-to-back wins at NCAA Division II foe Alaska Anchorage. The Cavaliers, who lost an exhibition 94-63 at University of Oregon on Wednesday, will move into the NCAA Division II's Great Northwest Athletic Conference after this season.

"All of their starters are returners, so they're very experienced," McDermott said. "They're big on the front line and probably a little more athletic than most teams in the league, and they score a bunch without being a great 3-point shooting team [their percentage is the worst in the conference] by getting to the rim and continuing to come at you."

About Warner Pacific: The Raiders have lost five straight at WPC, including four by four points or less and two in overtime, despite winning the last three meetings in Ashland by double figures. The Knights will employ 40 minutes of the same zone defense they've played for years that tends to make for a lot of Raider 3-point attempts.

All-CCC forward Doug Thomas is their top scoring threat at 18.1 per game, and guard Coletun Tarr averages 14.3. WPC is allowing 64.6 points per game, the best mark in the conference, and is holding opponents to 39-percent shooting.

"Some of the names are different but the style is the same," McDermott said. "They definitely get things done by system. It doesn't seem like very many teams have been able to crack the zone, especially at their place, and we need to do a better job of attacking it at some point."