Both Chadron State College basketball teams are on the road this Thanksgiving weekend.
The CSC men are playing in the Permian Basin Thanksgiving Classic at Odessa, Texas, on Friday and Saturday, while the Lady Eagles are at Northwestern College at Orange City, Iowa, at 4 p.m. Saturday and at Augustana College at Sioux Falls, S.D., at noon on Sunday.
The Eagles’ men are 1-3 after outscoring Nebraska-Kearney 33-19 in the final 10 minutes of the game played in Chadron on Tuesday night to win 91-72. Prior to that, the Eagles had lost three close games, including one in overtime to Texas A&M-Kingsville and another 69-68 to the Sioux Falls Cougars on a last second basket.
During the classic, the Eagles will meet Jarvis Christian from Hawkins, Texas, on Friday and Ecclesia College of Springdale, Ark., on Saturday. Both games will tip off at 1 p.m. Mountain time.
Jarvis Christian is 2-2 after losing its opener to Dillard University of New Orleans 77-70, nipping Wiley College of Marshall, Texas, 81-78 in overtime and Rust College of Holly Springs, Miss., 77-69 before losing 97-52 on Tuesday night to Nicholls State of Thibodeaux, La., 97-52.
The Ecclesia Royals are 0-5. They have lost to Ouchita Baptist 91-65, Southern Arkansas 79-43, Arkansas-Monticello, 79-43, Lyon College 82-74 and Southwest Baptist 76-45.
The CSC women are 0-4, but, in words of Coach Janet Raymer, have shown improvement each time they’ve played. They will be taking on two strong opponents this weekend.
Northwestern is 7-0 after defeating three Nebraska teams—College of St. Mary 67-47, Doane 81-70 and Midland 107-71—on the road in the past 10 days. The Red Raiders are shooting almost 50% from the field (211-424) and have outscored their opponents 119-63 at the free throw line.
Augustana is 4-0 and will play Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday before the Eagles arrive on Sunday. All six games will have been played at home. The Vikings’ latest win was a 93-74 decision over Wayne State on Tuesday night with more than 1,200 fans in attendance. Wayne State bested the Eagles 84-71 the previous week in Chadron.
One of the Vikings’ top players is 6-foot senior Aislinn Duffy, a graduate of St. Thomas More High in Rapid City. She led her team against Wayne with 19 points and 12 rebounds, and poured in 33 points on 13 of 18 shooting from the field during the 86-77 win over Missouri Western on Nov. 12
This weekend’s action will wrap up the Eagles’ non-conference schedules. They’ll launch their Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference slates Friday and Saturday, Dec. 2-3 with double-headers at home against Colorado State-Pueblo and New Mexico Highlands.