Preview: Yavapai Roughriders at Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters

THATCHER, Ariz. (Interstat) — The Eastern Arizona College Gila Monsters look to get back above .500 when they host the Yavapai College Roughriders in a men’s junior college basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 10.

Eastern Arizona (8-7) enters the contest after a 70-81 road loss at McLennan on Monday. The Gila Monsters had won two of their previous three, including an 83-67 victory at Ranger on Jan. 3. A player to watch for the home team is Ryder Bush, who posted 10 points and seven rebounds in 36 minutes in a Dec. 15 game against Southern Idaho.

The visiting Roughriders (3-5) last played nearly a month ago, securing a 63-56 home win over Colorado Northwestern on Dec. 13. Yavapai relied heavily on its starters in that victory, with Timotey Zoonekynd scoring 17 points and Rudolfs Svitins adding 16 points and six rebounds. Torin Bosch contributed 14 points and five rebounds.

Yavapai’s season has been marked by inconsistency, with its last five games resulting in alternating wins and losses. The Roughriders’ most lopsided result was a 64-117 defeat at Snow College on Nov. 10.

Eastern Arizona has shown a potent offense at times, scoring over 100 points in a win over Colorado Northwestern on Dec. 6 and posting 111 in a November victory over Western Nebraska. Their defense, however, has been vulnerable, allowing 81 points in their last outing.

This game marks the first of two regular-season meetings between the Arizona community college rivals. They will play again in Prescott on Jan. 28.

For Eastern Arizona, the upcoming schedule includes a home game against Central Arizona on Jan. 14. Yavapai’s next contest is at Southern Nevada on Jan. 14.

Saturday’s tipoff is set for 4 p.m. MST at Guitteau Gymnasium.