Four Teams Tied After First Half of CCC Men's Basketball Play
LA GRANDE, Ore. – At the midway point through the men’s basketball regular season, the Cascade Collegiate Conference still has a long ways to go in determining a champion.
With a conference record of 7-2, College of Idaho, Southern Oregon, Concordia and Warner Pacific are all tied at the top of the conference standings. Following those teams are Northwest Christian and Oregon Tech, each with a 5-4 CCC record, Eastern Oregon (3-6), Northwest (2-7), Corban (2-7) and Evergreen State College (0-9).
In the Latest NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, the CCC had five teams either ranked or receiving votes. C of I holds the highest rank at No. four while SOU is ranked No.10, CU is ranked No.12, WPC is ranked No. 18 and NCU received votes but not enough to crack the top 25.
Half way through the season, Eastern Oregon boasts the highest scoring average with 84 points per game while C of I and Concordia each average 81.3 points per game. SOU (80.3) and Oregon Tech (79.7) round out the top five scoring offenses.
Warner Pacific leads on the other side of the ball allowing only 62.5 points scored per game to lead the conference in scoring defense.
Southern Oregon holds the best field goal percentage in the CCC shooting 51 percent from the field. The Beacons of Northwest Christian are in second shooting 49 percent followed by Corban and Concordia each shooting 48 percent.
Individually, Oregon Tech’s junior guard Lavar Moore, leads the conference in points per game averaging 24.8 per contest. Eastern Oregon has two players in the top three in scoring with junior forward Bryan McGriff (22.2) and senior guard De’Sean Mattox (21.3). Senior forward Eric Thompson leads the Raiders in fourth, scoring 20.7 points per game.
Concordia’s senior forward Esvan Middleton holds the conference lead in rebounds averaging 11.5 per game while senior guard Tim Weber of SOU leads in assists averaging 7.8 per game.
The second half of the season begins this Friday, January 23, with key first-place matchups featuring SOU visiting C of I and the Knights hosting the Cavaliers.