TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (January 2, 2018) - There's a short list of programs that will annually contend for the NJCAA national title, with two of those programs prominently residing inside the Scenic West Athletic Conference.

The No. 7 Salt Lake Community College men's basketball program and regional rival Southern Idaho are both programs that are used to national success, with CSI notably serving as the national runner-up after last season. The Golden Eagles, who are ranked at No. 13 in the NJCAA rankings, will host Salt Lake Saturday in the SWAC opener for both programs.

Bruins coach Todd Phillips said the start of conference play is always an exciting time.

"Our team is excited to start league play," he said. "This is a big game to start the year for our program. Southern Idaho is a program that presents several challenges for us."

SLCC finished the preseason at 13-3, with a loss to No. 1 South Plains being the most recent defeat. Along the way of the preseason, the Bruins had several impressive victories over nationally-ranked opponents, along with an eight-game winning streak. Southern Idaho also has started the season well, running to a 15-3 start and a current eight-game winning streak. The Golden Eagles are a perfect 9-0 in Twin Falls this season.

Phillips said his focus will be on limiting Southern Idaho's multi-faceted attack.

"CSI scores a ton of points, especially in transition, so we need to dictate the tempo and keep them off the glass," he said. "Offensively, we need to move the ball so that we can attack the mismatches and make open shots."

The Scenic West opener will be played at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. The Bruins will play their SWAC home-opener on Jan. 12 against in-state rival Snow College.