Preview: North Idaho Cardinal at Colorado Northwestern Spartans

RANGELY, Colo. (Interstat) — The North Idaho College Cardinal will look to climb back to .500 in Scenic West Athletic Conference play when they visit the struggling Colorado Northwestern Community College Spartans in a men’s junior college basketball game on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.

North Idaho (11-11) enters the Valentine’s Day matchup with momentum from a 90-80 road victory over Salt Lake on Wednesday. The Cardinal are led by guard Ne’quan Brown, who poured in 31 points with 7 rebounds in that win. Brown has been a consistent offensive force and will be the primary focus for the Spartan defense.

Colorado Northwestern (3-19) is mired in a difficult season and seeks to end a seven-game losing streak. Their most recent outing was a 109-60 home loss to Snow on Feb. 7. Guard Jamison Thomson, who scored 21 points in the Spartans’ 102-80 loss at North Idaho on Jan. 24, is a key player. Thomson averages 11.8 points over his last five contests and will need a similar high-scoring performance for the home team to be competitive.

The season series has been decisively in North Idaho’s favor. The Cardinal won the first meeting in Rangely on Jan. 10, 81-55, and dominated the rematch in Coeur d’Alene on Jan. 24, 102-80. In that most recent head-to-head, North Idaho’s offense proved overwhelming.

Despite the stark contrast in records and recent history, a statistical projection from Interstat forecasts a tightly contested game, simulating a 100-100 draw. This suggests potential for an offensive showcase, though both teams have struggled with consistency throughout the season.

For North Idaho, a victory is crucial to maintain positioning in the conference standings ahead of a key three-game homestand beginning Feb. 21. For Colorado Northwestern, the game represents a chance to salvage pride and find a positive result before embarking on a challenging three-game road trip starting Feb. 19.

Tip-off is scheduled for Saturday at Colorado Northwestern Community College.