COMING UP: Evergreen (0-9 overall, 0-5 Cascade Collegiate Conference) hosts a pair of Cascade Collegiate Conference opponents this weekend inside Costantino Recreation Center. The Geoducks face the Northwest Christian University Beacons on Saturday and the Corban University Warriors on Sunday with both games slated to get underway at 5:30 p.m.

FOLLOW THE GEODUCKS: Evergreen basketball fans unable to attend the games can still follow their favorite team via live stats at http://sidearmstats.com/evergreen/mbball/xlive.htm and live video stream at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/evergreen/#.

ABOUT THE GEODUCKS: Evergreen remains in search of its first win of the 2018-19 season and would like nothing better than to close out the 2018 portion with a pair of victories. With the roster thinned down to eight players because of injuries and eligibility issues, the Geoducks will need to get the most out of those eight. Senior guard Alexcis Higginbotham, who had a strong junior season while swinging between guard and forward, has been thrust into the point guard role for the remainder of the season. She is team's leading scorer at 14.2 points per game also averages 4.9 rebounds. Senior forward Deidra Miller contributes 11.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while junior post Merrily Jones averages 9.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per contest, ranking her sixth in NAIA Division II women's basketball. The Geoducks average 62.4 points and 36.9 rebounds per game compared to averages of 76.2 points and 44.3 rebounds for their opponents. 

ABOUT NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN: The Beacons (5-9 overall, 2-3 CCC) are a very different team than one season ago. They have a new head coach and have seen many of the star players from last year's national tournament team either graduate or transfer. Among those who have returned are sophomore guard Morgan McKinney and her 14.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, both team-leading numbers. Junior guard Shanay Dotson averages 9.1 points and 5.4 rebounds and junior center Conner Borigo adds 9.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest. The Beacons have suffered four straight losses, two to NCAA Division II foes Saint Martin's and Western Oregon and two to Cascade Conference foes Eastern Oregon and College of Idaho.

RECENT RESULTS: Evergreen has won 12 of 22 games played against the Beacons dating back to the 2007-08 season. Northwest Christian swept two games last year, 75-55 in Eugene, Ore., and 74-71 in Olympia.

ABOUT CORBAN: Junior forward Jordan Woodvine has been one of the top players in the conference throughout her Corban career and with her 20.3 points per game is ranked fourth in NAIA Division II women's basketball. Senior forward Emily Yost averages 12.6 points and 6.5 rebounds and shoots 59.3 percent from the floor, while senior guard Treasure Farmer chips in with 11.9 points and 4.3 assists per game. The Warriors (7-6 overall, 1-2 conference) average 64.4 points and 37.1 rebounds per game compared to averages of 63.9 and 32.0 for their opponents.

SINCE 2007-08: Looking back through statistics dating to the 2007-08 season, Evergreen has won eight of 23 against Corban. The Warriors swept the Geoducks last season in two close games, 70-65 in overtime in Salem, Ore., and 66-64 in Olympia.

LAST WEEK: Northwest University shot 11-for-14 from the floor in the final quarter on Wednesday, Dec. 19, to pull away and beat Evergreen, 83-70, in Cascade Collegiate Conference action in Kirkland. Anna Cook recorded Evergreen's first double-double of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Alexcis Higginbotham added 20 points for the Geoducks.

WHAT'S AHEAD: The 2019 portion of this season's schedule starts next weekend with a long conference road trip east over the Cascade Mountain Range. The Geoducks play against Eastern Oregon in La Grande on Friday, Jan. 4, and College of Idaho in Caldwell on Saturday, Jan. 5, with 5:30 p.m. starts both nights.