COMING UP: The Evergreen State College (5-10 overall, 2-5 CCC) hosts the Corban University Warriors (9-5, 3-3) on Friday and the Northwest Christian University Beacons (11-4, 5-1) on Saturday in Cascade Collegiate Conference clashes. Both games tip off in Costantino Recreation Center at 7:30 p.m. The Geoducks play the third of four consecutive home games at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday when the Northwest University Eagles come to the CRC gym.
 
FOLLOW THE GEODUCKS: All Evergreen home basketball games are available via live stats and on a pay-per-view live video stream at http://portal.stretchinternet.com/evergreen/#. John Hammargren is in his fourth season as Evergreen's play-by-play announcer.
 
ABOUT THE GEODUCKS: The top free throw percentage shooting team in the Cascade Collegiate Conference at .770 percent, Evergreen nonetheless ranks ninth among 11 CCC teams in scoring margin (negative 6.7) and rebounding margin (negative 3.6). The Geoducks average 81.5 points and 36.7 rebounds per game. Evergreen also ranks ninth with a .420 field goal shooting percentage – last in the CCC in three-point shooting percentage at .322 – and allows opponents to shoot at a .498 clip, which is worst of the 11 conference teams. The Geoducks turn the ball over 13.3 times per game compared to 14.8 for their opponents. Individually, 6-7 junior post Danny Powell ranks third in scoring average (21.5), second in rebounding average (11.6) and second in free throw percentage (.897). Alix Hernandez, a 6-1 senior forward, is among the league leaders with 15.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.8 steals per game, and he also shoots free throws at a .771 clip. Other players ranked among the CCC leaders are 6-3 senior forward Brock Otis with 13.4 points per game and 6-1 junior guard Jarrick Mitchell with 3.5 assists per game.
 
NEED TO FINISH: In each of the past four conference games – all losses – the Geoducks have led in the second half only to see their opponents pull out the wins in the closing minutes. "It's a good news bad news situation," second-year Evergreen head coach Tim Malroy said. "It's good to know we are competing with everyone and are able to forge leads in almost every game, but games aren't 30 minutes long, they're 40. We have to continue to work on a consistent mindset throughout the game and compete the same way no matter who the opponent is or what the score may be."
 
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Evergreen has played in front of the home court fans only five times – winning three – in 15 games this year. "We are happy to be home from the long road trip east. We put together two good games except for the last 10 minutes of the Eastern Oregon game. It's critical we hold serve at home and get a few wins these next couple (of) weeks," Coach Malroy said.
 
ABOUT CORBAN: The Warriors feature one of the bright young stars in the Cascade Collegiate Conference in 5-10 sophomore guard AJ Monterossi. He leads the team with 20.1 points and 4.1 assists per game and last week tied a program record with 18 assists in a home court blowout of New Hope Christian College. Cyrus Ward, a 6-6 senior forward, scored a career-high 35 points in that game and averages 16.9 points and a team-best 8.2 rebounds per game while shooting 57 percent from the field and 78 percent from the foul line for the season. Caleb Dozier, a 6-5 sophomore guard, is among the league leaders with 7.6 rebounds per game. As a team the Warriors are averaging 80.1 points and allowing 78.5, and they are among the best rebounding teams in the league with 38.8 per game compared to 33.9 for their opponents. Corban turns the ball over 12.0 times per game compared to 11.3 for their opponents, but they are last in the league with 4.5 steals per game.

RECENT RESULTS: Corban swept Evergreen last year, winning 82-68 and 74-70, after the teams split their two conference counters during the 2013-14 season.
 
ABOUT NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN: After being ranked No. 12 in the NAIA Division II Top 25 preseason poll, the Beacons dropped out after losing three in a row following a 5-0 start. Winners of six out of their last seven games – the only loss coming by five points at Southern Oregon – the Beacons have moved into the NAIA Top 25 at No. 19. This senior-led team is now showing why it was a preseason pick to place second in the conference standings behind two-time defending champion College of Idaho. NCU averages 84.1 points and gives up just 68.9, and it dominates in rebounding with an average of 42.3 per game compared to 34.0 for its opponents. The Beacons rank among the CCC's best with 16.7 assists and 9.7 steals per game and they turn the ball over just 12.1 times per contest compared to 16.9 for the opponent. Perhaps the only thing holding the team back is a .649 free throw percentage, eighth in the 11-team league. Javonte Bird, a 6-4 senior guard, averages 14.9 points and 2.0 steals per game, while 6-9 senior forward Austin Kuemper, the preseason pick for CCC Player of the Year, contributes 11.7 points, 5.1 assists and 55 percent field goal accuracy. Jay Mayernik, a 6-7 junior forward, averages 7.7 rebounds and shoots 59 percent from the field, and 6-8 senior forward Omar Richards pulls down 6.9 rebounds per contest. The backcourt leader is 5-9 freshman guard Kenny Blackwell with 4.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
 
RECENT RESULTS: Northwest Christian has defeated Evergreen five consecutive times, including 83-68 and 86-68 decisions last year.
 
LAST WEEK: The Geoducks dropped a pair of conference road games, falling 88-81 to College of Idaho last Wednesday, and 85-65 to Eastern Oregon last Thursday. Danny Powell set an Evergreen men's basketball single-game record with 21 rebounds while also scoring 30 points in the loss at College of Idaho, while Brock Otis scored 16 points the following night against Eastern Oregon.