TWIN FALLS, Idaho – One dominant win and a hard-fought loss were the results for Colorado Northwestern Men's Basketball over the weekend at the Rob Green Classic hosted by College of Southern Idaho.
 
The Spartans defeated Northeastern Junior College on Friday by a score of 83-69. They closed their trip on Saturday with a narrow, 62-61 loss to Western Nebraska Community College. Cole Johnson was the team's leading scorer, averaging 17.5 points per game. He also led the team by dishing out 3.5 assists per game. Mason Mickelsen was tops on the glass thanks to 8.0 boards per contest. Colorado Northwestern totaled 16 three-pointers and won the overall turnover battle as well.
 
Friday saw CNCC dominate the Plainsmen of Northeastern behind blistering shooting from the floor. In the first half, the Spartans converted at 50 percent overall including a 54-percent mark from behind the arc. Jude Ballstaedt poured in 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting including 4-for-5 from three-point range through the first 20 minutes. Mitch Jeppesen added nine points and six rebounds in the first half as well. That production carried into the second half where Colorado Northwestern went 16-of-29 from the floor. Cole Johnson added 16 more points on 60-percent shooting as CNCC built an 18-point lead down the stretch to finish the game. Johnson's final line included 22 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Ballstaedt matched the 22 points while adding three rebounds and three assists. Jeppesen finished with a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double. Christensen chipped in 10 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
 
Saturday brought a defensive thriller between the Spartans and the Cougars from WNCC. Colorado Northwestern was limited to 31-percent shooting and just 26 points in the first half. Even so, Santiago Casarin came up with seven points and five rebounds to keep the deficit at 10 points by halftime. Then, in the second half, CNCC returned the favor on defense. The Spartans held Western Nebraska to a 35-percent clip and just 20 percent from three-point range. They also forced 10 turnovers by the Cougars. A Cole Johnson floater with 12 seconds to play put Colorado Northwestern up by one point. However, a WNCC buzzer-beating layup turned into the game-winning basket in a heartbreaking loss for the Spartans. Christensen's 14 points led the team as he produced four rebounds and three steals. Johnson scored 13 points with three rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Casarin teased a double-double on the merits on 12 points and eight rebounds. Mickelson's nine rebounds were tops on the team.
 
Colorado Northwestern Men's Basketball continues its season this weekend in Casper, Wyo. The Spartans face Casper College on Friday at 7:30 p.m. They play a non-conference contest against North Idaho College on Saturday at 2 p.m. Fans can watch the games live on YouTube by searching Casper College Athletics.
 
Fans can keep up with CNCC men's basketball on social media at @CnccMbb on "X" (formerly Twitter), at cncc_mbb on Instagram, and on Facebook by searching "CNCC Men's Basketball."