From the Cascade Conference
LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Cascade Collegiate Conference will begin the 2017-18 Men's Basketball Championship presented by U.S. Bank later today with four quarterfinal games at various campus sites throughout the conference. Fans can follow the action on the CCC webpage tournament site.
The teams will be playing for the "Danny Miles Tournament Trophy" in recognition of the Hall of Fame coach from Oregon Tech who's career spanned 45 years coaching the Hustlin' Owls and earning three NAIA Men's Basketball national championships. Miles retired and the end of the 2015-16 season.
No. 8 Northwest (13-17, 7-13 CCC) at No. 1 College of Idaho (24-6, 18-2 CCC)
6 pm PT – Caldwell, Idaho- J.A. Albertson Event Center
Earning their third regular season title in the last five seasons, top seed and No. 4 ranked College of Idaho will prepare to host eighth-seeded Northwest in the quarterfinals. With the regular season title CI secured an automatic bid to the NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship.
The Yotes finished with the sixth highest scoring offense (79.5) the first ranked defense (63.6) with best scoring margin at + 15.9.CI also ranks tops in the CCC in rebounding margin at + 8.6 per game. Stifling defense and offense by committee have the No. 6 ranked team in the country tough to match up with.
The Eagles of Northwest needed a win on the final night of the regular season to snag the final seed. Tre Benton and Justice Martion lead NU with 17.0 and 15.0 points per game respectively.
Other games going on tonight:
- No. 7 seed Northwest Christian at No. 2 seed Warner Pacific
- No. 6 Corban at No. 3 Oregon Tech
- No. 5 Eastern Oregon at No. 4 Southern Oregon
All games begin at 7 p.m.
