MONMOUTH, Ore. – After a nearly two-week layoff, the Western Oregon men's basketball team returns to Great Northwest Athletic Conference play this week, hosting the Concordia Cavaliers and Montana State Billings Yellowjackets at NPE Gym.

Western Oregon (6-2, 0-2 GNAC) will seek their first conference win of the year after having their five-game winning streak snapped earlier in the month. The Wolves, however, bounced back from losses to Alaska and Alaska Anchorage with a head-turning 91-75 win over the No. 6 Dixie State Trailblazers in their most recent contest on Dec. 20 at home. WOU led by as many as 26 in the game on their way to their first regular season win over a top-10 opponent in six years. As a result of the win, they were named the GNAC Team of the Week.

The Wolves are averaging 82.6 points per game while allowing just 75.1 per night. Their field goal (50.5), 3-point (43.3) and free throw shooting percentages (78.9) are all tops in the conference. Rebounding has been their largest obstacle of the season, pulling in a GNAC-low 30.9 rebounds per game.

Individually, four Western players rank in the top 15 in scoring, led by the 18.9 points per game of senior Dalven Brushier. Brushier has reached 20 points in scoring in five of his eight appearances this season, including each of his last two games.

Junior Darius Lubom is the only player in the GNAC averaging more than five assists a game, dishing out 5.5 to hold a 0.8 assist lead in the category over the rest of the conference. He has additionally scored at least 12 points in each of his last seven games.

Concordia (1-9, 0-2 GNAC) is currently in the midst of a four-game losing streak, having won their only game of the season on Nov. 23 in a 71-70 edging of Notre Dame de Namur. The Cavaliers have not played an official game since Dec. 7, but have hosted George Fox in exhibition play on Dec. 16 at LCEF Court.

Averaging only 72.8 points per game, the Cavaliers have been held to fewer than 60 points on three occasions this season. Junior Hunter Sweet leads the team with 16.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 59.5 percent from the field.

WOU is 7-2 against Concordia in the all-time series dating back to 2007. The Cavaliers won the most recent meeting 77-72 on Feb. 5 in Portland. Western is 0-5 in Monmouth in the series.

Montana State Billings (5-5, 0-2 GNAC) also pursues their first GNAC win this week, having dropped their first two games of the conference schedule to Simon Fraser and Western Washington. Since those losses earlier in the month, the Yellowjackets have won two of their last three games to battle back to a .500 overall record. Of their five wins, three have been by four or fewer points.

MSUB sophomore Brendan Howard is the conference's leader in scoring, averaging 21.8 points per game while also leading in rebounding with 8.9 boards a night. He is shooting 57.3 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from 3-point range.

WOU is 19-10 in the all-time series against the 'Jackets. The Wolves have won seven straight dating back to 2016. MSUB's last win in the series was Dec. 5, 2016, and their last win in Monmouth on Feb. 21, 2013. WOU is 11-2 at home.

Western Oregon's matchup with Concordia is slated for Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 2 p.m. and Thursday, Jan. 2 at 7:30 p.m. PST against MSUB. Both games will be played at NPE Gym with live stats and video available here.