SLCC at top of NJCAA women’s hoops poll

The Salt Lake Community College athletic program has a new reason to proclaim greatness.

The SLCC women’s basketball team (15-0 overall, 2-0 Scenic West) has been ranked No. 1 in the National Junior College Athletic Association rankings for the past two weeks. The Bruins opened the season in the No. 7 spot.

Since a close 53-52 victory against Trinity College on Nov. 20, SLCC has defeated their last nine opponents by an average of 27.5 points.

Salt Lake started conference play last week with a 83-58 victory over Colorado Northwestern on Thursday and a 74-46 win against USU Eastern on Saturday in Bruin Arena. Freshman guard Monique Mills scored a season-high 30 points against CNCC.

Sophomore guard Tilar Clark leads the team in scoring, averaging 17.1 points per game. Clark also has the most rebounds (106 total, 7.1 per game) and assists (40 total, 2.7 per game).

Salt Lake will play seven road games over the next month, including a two-day tournament in Henderson, Nevada. Their next home game in Bruin Arena will be Jan. 23 against in-state rival Snow College.

The Bruins travel to Ephraim to play the Badgers this Thursday.

Men’s basketball back in NJCAA Top 25

The Bruin men’s basketball team (13-1 overall, 2-0 Scenic West) has re-entered the NJCAA rankings, sitting No. 24 in the latest poll.

After opening the year as the No. 15-ranked team, Salt Lake fell out of the top 25 after a loss to Glendale Community College on Nov. 27. Since that loss, the Bruins have outscored their last five opponents 482-246.

SLCC opened Scenic West conference action with a dominant 92-43 win over CNCC last Thursday and an 89-63 victory over USU Eastern on Saturday.

Freshman guard Conner Toolson is scoring 16.6 points per game on 46.4 percent shooting. Sophomore guard Tanner Newbold is the long-range threat on the team, shooting 47.6 percent from the 3-point line.

Tyler Rawson averages 16.3 points per game on 56.3 percent shooting. The sophomore forward also averages 8.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game and leads the team with 21 blocks.

The Bruins play the first of eight straight road games on Thursday when they visit Snow. SLCC returns home Jan. 23 to battle Snow.