Preview: Otero Rattlers at Northeastern (Colo.) Plainsmen

STERLING, Colo. (Interstat) — The Northeastern Junior College Plainsmen will look to complete a regular-season sweep and solidify their winning record when they host the struggling Otero College Rattlers in a men’s junior college basketball game Wednesday.

The Plainsmen (10-6) defeated the Rattlers (3-15) 70-59 in La Junta on Jan. 23. Northeastern has won four of its last six games, including a narrow 78-77 home victory over McCook on Saturday. Quis Davis led the way in that win, scoring 22 points with five rebounds and six assists. Davis has been a consistent offensive force, averaging over 20 points per game in his last four contests where he saw significant minutes.

Otero, meanwhile, snapped a five-game losing streak with a 72-65 win over Lamar on Saturday, though the team’s most productive players in that game logged only a single minute of action. The Rattlers’ season has been defined by inconsistency and defensive struggles, allowing an average of 82.6 points per game in their 15 losses.

A player to watch for Otero is Marquise Allen, whose role has fluctuated recently. He posted a solid all-around line of eight points, seven rebounds and six assists in 33 minutes in a Jan. 30 overtime loss to Southeast but has seen only minimal action in three other games since, including the Jan. 23 loss to Northeastern.

For the Plainsmen, containing Allen if he sees extended time and leveraging Davis’s hot hand will be key. Northeastern has shown a knack for close victories, with five of its 10 wins coming by four points or fewer.

The rematch tips off at 7:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, at the Bank of Colorado Event Center. Northeastern will host Trinidad State on Thursday, while Otero travels to face Western Nebraska.