STERLING, Colo. (Interstat) — A pair of NJCAA Region IX men’s basketball teams trending in opposite directions will meet Saturday when the McCook Indians visit the Northeastern Junior College Plainsmen.

McCook (10-9) arrives having dropped three of its last four, including an 87-76 home loss to Western Nebraska on Wednesday. The Indians have struggled defensively during the slide, allowing an average of 91.3 points in those three defeats.

Northeastern (Colo.) (9-6) has lost two straight nail-biters on the road, falling 71-70 at Trinidad State on Jan. 24 and 64-60 at North Platte on Wednesday. The Plainsmen are 6-1 at home this season.

The matchup features two of the region’s top scorers. McCook sophomore guard Nate Coley is averaging 28 points over his last three games, including a 40-point, 8-rebound, 10-assist performance in a win over Trinidad State on Jan. 17. He leads the Indians’ attack.

The Plainsmen counter with guard Quis Davis, who is coming off a 21-point effort in the loss to North Platte. Davis has scored in double figures in seven straight games he has played significant minutes, providing consistent offense for a team that has played in several tight contests. Four of Northeastern’s last five games have been decided by four points or fewer.

Historically, games in this series have been high-scoring affairs. The teams will meet again in McCook on Feb. 21.

For McCook, slowing Davis and improving its recent defensive efforts will be critical to snapping its skid on the road. Northeastern aims to leverage its home-court advantage and experience in close games to get back above .500 in region play.

Tip-off is set for Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, at the Bank of Colorado Event Center in Sterling.