Men’s Basketball Ready to Bounce Back onto the Court
By Paul Hall on Monday, March 1st, 2021 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – Eastern Oregon University Men’s Basketball has waited a good long time and now the Mountaineers are able to hit the hardwood. With approval from OHA on Return to Play for sports like basketball, EOU is ready for some action in 2021.
2020-21 Season Outlook
• With the season starting so late for a majority of the schools in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, most teams will not qualify for the NAIA National Basketball Championships. Regardless, the CCC is set to have a conference season schedule that is likely going to start in mid-March.
• The Mountaineers enter the 2020-21 campaign preseason picked to finish fifth. EOU tied for fifth in the preseason coaches’ poll with Bushnell University.
• CCC schools Lewis-Clark State College and College of Idaho have already played a handful of games and battled in a best-of-three series to earn an automatic bid to nationals. LC State was the winner to advance, while C of I will likely join the new conference format and play more games in the spring.
• Entering the season, EOU will have 12 players on the active roster. Of the 12 players on the roster, eight are returners.
• EOU also bring back two starters from last season in Max McCullough and Brandon Porter. Also looking to help make more of an impact is Kobi Gardea who saw limited time last season due to injury/
Conference Play Format
• The revised CC schedule will likely take place in March with dates and matchups still to be determined.
• Opting out of the CCC basketball season for 202-21 are Walla Walla, Evergreen State College, and Southern Oregon.
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CCC has implemented a “NO spectator policy” for all conference events with the exception of cross-country and golf.
