COMING UP: The Evergreen State College travels to Oregon's Willamette Valley this weekend for a pair of Cascade Collegiate Conference men's basketball contests. The Geoducks (3-13 overall, 0-9 CCC) open the second half of the conference schedule at Northwest Christian University (12-6, 5-4) in Eugene on Friday and then face Corban University (9-9, 2-7) in Salem on Saturday.

FOLLOW THE GEODUCKS: Video streams and live stats for the games are available here -
NCU Video stream - http://gobeacons.com/sports/2011/9/9/GEN_0909112340.aspx?&tab=2
NCU Live stats - http://www.nwcu.edu/livestats/mbb/XLIVE.HTM
Corban: Video stream and live stats - http://portal.stretchinternet.com/corban/

ABOUT THE GEODUCKS: After one week in the second position, the Geoducks returned to the top spot in NAIA Division II men's basketball in turnover margin with 5.9 fewer turnovers than their opponents. Evergreen has been ranked No. 1 in that category all season except for last week. Overall this season the Geoducks are averaging 76.9 points per game while allowing 86.1, but those numbers are more wide-spread when it comes to conference-only games where they average 73.3 and allow 92.2. In terms of rebounding the Geoducks are minus 12.0 rebounds for the entire season and minus 13.6 against the conference. The team's scoring leader is senior post Kortney Darby at 13.6 points per game, but his season looks to be done because of a knee injury. Of the remaining players the scoring leaders are Jordan Dam at 13.3 points, Alix Hernandez 12.3 and Frankie Johnson 10.5. Hernandez leads the team with 6.4 rebounds per game and Johnson is the assist leader with 2.9 per contest. In conference-only games Johnson (12.2 average) and Hernandez (11.0) average in double figures. Evergreen remains in search of its first conference victory and now has lost eight straight and 11 of its last 12.

ABOUT NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN: Austin Kuemper, a 6-8 junior forward, has been outstanding during the conference season with an average of 18.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per contest. He is among the CCC leaders in field goal (62 percent) and free throw (78 percent) accuracy. Kuemper is the only Beacons player averaging in double figures during conference play. Javonte Byrd, a junior guard, has a 11.7 scoring average for the entire season. Through nine conference games the Beacons are scoring 70.6 points and allowing 66.6 points, and they rank third in rebounding margin with a plus 5.8. With a 5-4 record through the first round of conference play the Beacons are tied with Oregon Tech for fifth place.

THE FIRST TIME: In a game played Dec. 20 in Olympia, Northwest Christian built a 25-point second half lead and cruised to an 83-68 win over the Geoducks. The Beacons shot 56 percent and owned a 44-22 advantage in rebounds. Donald Terry came off the bench and found the range from three-point range, hitting a trio of long bombs on the way to a team-high 13 points the Geoducks. Jay Mayernik led NCU with 18 points on 7-for-7 shooting from the field. Devyn Iglehart, the Beacons' quick point guard, finished with eight assists.

ABOUT CORBAN: The Warriors are 2-7 and tied with Northwest for seventh in the CCC standings. Senior guard Jordan Carter has been one of Corban's best players throughout his four-year career and averages 14.8 for the season, 13.6 against conference opponents. Junior forward Cyrus Ward tallies 14.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, while freshman guard AJ Monterossi scores 11.4 per game. In CCC games the Warriors shoot 71 percent from the foul line to lead in that category, but their points (62.7 for, 69.3 against) and rebounds (29.6 for, 34.4 against) are among the worst in conference play.

THE FIRST TIME: AJ Monterossi led four Corban players in double-figure scoring as the Corban Warriors beat the Evergreen Geoducks, 82-68, at CRC Gymnasium on Dec. 19. The Warriors had an excellent shooting night, hitting nearly 60 percent from the field, including 6-for-12 accuracy from beyond the three-point line. Evergreen did win the rebounding battle, however, taking down 38 boards to 36 for the visitors. Alix Hernandez grabbed 10 for the Geoducks, while Cody Crowe led his team with 10. Joining Monterossi in double figures were Cyrus Ward with 14, Caleb Herzberg with 12 and Toby Roth with 10. Brock Otis finished with a team-high 18 points and Jordan Dam added 16 points for Evergreen.

LAST WEEK: Evergreen dropped Cascade Conference home games to Concordia, 88-74 on Friday, and to Warner Pacific, 92-55 on Saturday. Against Concordia, Alix Hernandez had a huge game with 22 points, five rebounds and eight assists, all team highs. Against Warner Pacific, Marquise Doss led the Geoducks with 12 points, while David Weatherspoon came off the bench to add 10 points and a team-high five rebounds.