Preview: Colorado Northwestern at Salt Lake, Men’s Junior College Basketball

SALT LAKE (Interstat) — The Salt Lake Bruin Bears will look to complete a season sweep when they host the struggling Colorado Northwestern Spartans in a men’s junior college basketball game Wednesday night.

Salt Lake (9-18) has defeated Colorado Northwestern (3-23) twice already this season, winning 87-76 in Rangely, Colorado, on Jan. 29 and 87-68 at home on Jan. 15. The Bruin Bears enter having lost five consecutive games since that last victory over the Spartans, most recently falling 77-68 at Utah State Eastern on Feb. 21.

Colorado Northwestern seeks to end a 10-game losing streak. The Spartans are coming off a 100-87 road loss at Snow College on Saturday, a game in which they allowed a season-worst point total.

A key matchup will feature two of the region’s top guards. Colorado Northwestern is led by Carter Killian, who is coming off a standout performance of 25 points, five rebounds and seven assists in 34 minutes against Snow. Over his last four games, the guard is averaging 12 points, five rebounds and 5.5 assists.

He will be countered by Salt Lake’s Danny Young Jr., who torched the Spartans for 25 points and five rebounds in the Jan. 29 meeting. Young is averaging 14.8 points over his last five contests, though his production has been inconsistent, including a one-point outing against Snow on Feb. 19.

Beyond the head-to-head advantage, Salt Lake holds a significant edge in recent form. The Bruin Bears’ last five losses have come by an average of 12.4 points, while the Spartans’ last five defeats have been by an average margin of 20.2 points, including a 49-point loss to Snow on Feb. 7.

For Colorado Northwestern to snap its skid, it will need a repeat of its Jan. 29 offensive output against Salt Lake — its highest point total in the last 10 games — coupled with drastically improved defense. Salt Lake will aim to exploit its interior advantage and protect its home court as both teams look to build momentum heading into the final weeks of the season.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. MST Wednesday at Bruin Arena.