PRICE, Utah (Interstat) — A stark contrast in trajectories will be on display Tuesday when the surging Utah State Eastern Eagles host the struggling Colorado Northwestern Spartans in a men’s junior college basketball matchup.

The Eagles (12-2) enter riding a five-game winning streak, including a hard-fought 78-72 victory over Salt Lake Community College on Saturday. They have established themselves as one of the region’s top teams, boasting a perfect 7-0 record at home this season.

Utah State Eastern is led by guard Isaac Castagnetto, who is coming off a 19-point, seven-rebound performance against Salt Lake. His versatile playmaking has been a constant; in the three games detailed, he averaged 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He is supported by a balanced attack featuring Ike Palmer, who also scored 19 points with six rebounds and six assists in the latest win.

Conversely, the Colorado Northwestern Spartans (3-10) are looking to halt a four-game skid. They are coming off a 96-65 road loss to Snow College on Saturday where they allowed a season-high in points. Their season has been defined by defensive struggles, having conceded 80 or more points in nine of their 10 losses.

A bright spot for the Spartans has been the play of guard Carter Killian. Despite the lopsided loss at Snow, Killian filled the stat sheet with 13 points and seven assists in 33 minutes. He will need a similar all-around effort to keep the Spartans competitive against an Eagles squad that has won its home games by an average margin of 24.7 points.

Tuesday’s contest is the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams. They will meet again in Rangely, Colorado, on Feb. 5. For the Spartans, the game represents a daunting opportunity to pull a major upset. For the Eagles, it is a chance to solidify their standing and protect their home court against a conference opponent they are heavily favored to defeat.

Tipoff is set for Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, at the BDAC in Price.