Preview: Western Wyoming at Otero, Men’s Junior College Basketball

LA JUNTA, Colo. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking to halt prolonged slides will meet Monday when the Western Wyoming Mustangs visit the Otero Rattlers in a men’s junior college basketball game.

Both programs enter the new year mired in significant losing streaks. Western Wyoming (2-8) has dropped six consecutive games since its last victory on Nov. 28. Otero (0-10) remains in search of its first win of the season.

The Mustangs are coming off a 78-89 home loss to Trinidad State on Dec. 13. In that contest, forward Paulius Narvilas recorded a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while guard Jacovey Campbell added a team-high 19 points and five assists. Finding consistent scoring beyond that duo has been a challenge during the skid.

Otero last played on Dec. 6, falling 56-69 at Northwest. Guard Cole Corner came off the bench to lead the Rattlers with 14 points in that game, and Bertran Walthour Jr. added 13 points. Defense has been a persistent issue for Otero, which has allowed an average of 94.7 points per game during its winless start.

Recent history suggests a potentially close matchup. A statistical projection from Interstat forecasts a 100-100 tie, indicating the simulator views the teams as evenly matched despite their records.

For Western Wyoming, this contest opens a two-game road trip in Colorado, with a game at Lamar scheduled for Tuesday. The Mustangs will hope to leverage their recent high-performers, Narvilas and Campbell, to exploit an Otero defense that has struggled to contain opponents.

Otero begins a critical homestand, playing three of its next four games at home. The Rattlers will look to capitalize on home court to finally break into the win column and build momentum before hosting Laramie County on Jan. 10.

Monday’s game tips off at 7:30 p.m. MST at the Otero College Gymnasium.