TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (Monday, January 8, 2024) – The 15-1 Salt Lake Bruins look to start conference play on a high note when they open 2024 at the College of Southern Idaho later this week.
The Bruins kickoff SWAC play against CSI on Wednesday, January 10 before facing North Idaho on Saturday, January 13.
No. 2 SLCC suffered its only loss of the season, 73-62 to McLennan CC. Salt Lake responded with a pair of blowout wins to end the Aztec Classic and ring in the new year with a win.
Sophomore C.J. Luster leads the Bruins with 17.8 points per game. The 6'4 guard poured in 39 points against Bismarck State, the most for a Bruin since Cameron Mack scored 40 in 2018.
Freshman forward Xavier Edmonds averages 12.9 points and a team-high seven boards a night. Former UVU guard Jordan Battle stuffs the box score with 12.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, four assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
Redshirt sophomore Bryce Zephir (11.9 ppg) rounds out a quartet of Bruins scoring double-figure points.
GAME INFORMATION
GAME ONE
Salt Lake (15-1, 0-0 SWAC) vs. Southern Idaho Golden Eagles (11-4, W3)
DATE | TIME: Wednesday, Jan. 10 | 7 p.m. MT
LOCATION: Twin Falls, Idaho
LIVE STREAM: Click Here
TWITTER: @SLCCBruins
ALL-TIME, LAST TIME
The Bruins are 20-18 all-time against CSI but have dropped the past four games in the series. The top-ranked Golden Eagles beat then-No. 7 SLCC 99-88 to end the SWAC regular season last year.
6'2 guard Asim Jones leads Southern Idaho with 19.5 points per game. Sophomore guard Jaylon Johnson averages 14.1 points, 5.4 boards, 4.7 assists and 2.4 steals.
GAME TWO
Salt Lake (15-1, 0-0 SWAC) vs. North Idaho Cardinals (12-4, W2)
DATE | TIME: Saturday, Jan. 13 | 5 p.m. MT
LOCATION: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
LIVE STREAM: Click Here
TWITTER: @SLCCBruins
ALL-TIME, LAST TIME
The Bruins are 22-16 all-time against NIC with their last meeting, an 86-73 SLCC win, coming in 2016. This is the first season for the North Idaho basketball programs playing in the SWAC.
Five Cardinals average double-digit scoring led by Jalen Skalskiy's 15.4 ppg. Dante Sawyer (14.2), Vaughn Weems (13.1), Terin Johnson (12.5), and Cobi Campbell (12.5) round out a potent scoring group. North Idaho averages 95.6 points a night as a team.
HOW TO TUNE IN
Fans can watch all Salt Lake Community College Athletics events at the ScenicWestNetwork.com/slcc. Listen to Bruins play-by-play analyst Brian Preece. Live stats are on SLCCBruins.com
AWARD WINNERS
CJ Luster was named the Scenic West Athletic Conference Player of the Week from November 26-December 2. Luster averaged 23.5 points, seven boards, and 3.5 steals per game in the two wins while shooting 43 percent from the field and 40 percent from deep in wins over Laramie County CC and Yavapai College. For the season, the 6'4 guard out of Denton, Texas leads SLCC with 16.3 points per game on 46 percent shooting and 42.7 percent from beyond the three-point line.
Jordan Battle earned SWAC POTY honors on November 15 after averaging 23.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and four assists in wins over Eastern Wyoming and Northeastern JC.
SALT LAKE BRUINS
Head coach Kyle Taylor and company have been integrating an entirely new team from last season's 29-5 squad that came up short at Hutch.
Former Utah Valley Wolverine Jordan Battle leads a team that includes six prep athletes out of Utah. Brady Smith (Green Canyon), Coen Collier (Olympus), Kevin Winsor (Lehi), Preston Squire (Layton), Mason Bendinger (Woods Cross), and Chudi Anosike (Murray), round out the Bruins' local talent.
Five Bruins, including Battle, entered the season with previous college experience. Michael Folarin (Nevada), Lukas Gudavicius (Bethune Cookman), CJ Luster (Kilgore College), and Bryce Zephir (North Texas).
IN THE RANKS
Salt Lake remains No. 2 in the most recent NJCAA DI Men's Basketball Rankings released on December 11. The Bruins are joined in the top 25 by SWAC opponent No. 5 Snow College.
HEAD COACH KYLE TAYLOR
In just four seasons, Taylor has posted an overall record of 113-16, earning four consecutive trips to the NJCAA Championships in Hutchinson, Kan. SLCC has earned three Region 18 titles in Taylor's tenure, also posting a trio of NJCAA Western District titles. The Bruins have led the NJCAA in scoring in each of the past two seasons.
NEXT UP
SLCC returns to Bruin Arena on Thursday, January 18 when they host Community Christian College. Salt Lake will play four straight games at home to close out January.
Find tickets for all Salt Lake Community College events here.
FOLLOW THE BRUINS!
Fans can follow along during the 2023-24 season on social media (Twitter: @slccbruins | Instagram: @slccbruins |Facebook: www.facebook.com/bruin.athletics
