PRESCOTT, Ariz. - A first-time achievement is on the line in the final road game of the regular season for Arizona Western head basketball coach Kyle Isaacs. Isaacs and his Matadors can win the regular season ACCAC title outright for the very first time under his leadership.

"We won a share of it with Cochise College in my first year," Isaacs said. "Never had it all to ourselves since I've been here, so this is a pretty big deal. We'll have two shots at it, but I hope to get it done on Wednesday night."

Currently, Arizona Western has clinched at least a share of the regular season title. The Matadors lead Eastern Arizona by two games with two games remaining in the regular season. A win for Arizona Western over Yavapai tonight would seal the deal, or an Eastern Arizona loss to the College of Southern Nevada. A Matador loss and Eastern win would set up a showdown in the regular season finale this Saturday in Yuma. 

"We hope it doesn't come down to that," Isaacs said. "We headed out a day early just to get situated."

A win for the Matadors tonight not only gives them the ACCAC championship but also secures the #1 seed in the Region I playoffs. Arizona Western is also scheduled to host the District final this year, meaning the road to the NJCAA national tournament could go through Arizona Western College.

About the Matadors 

Arizona Western has been steady and balanced, owning both the series momentum and the stat-sheet edges. The Matadors have won the last three meetings in the series, including both contests this season but the Roughriders play Arizona Western tough, falling 74-72 in Prescott on Jan iary 21st, and 69-61 in Yuma on February 7th.

• Form and edge: AWC is 4-1 in its last five, with the lone loss coming in a high-scoring battle against Cochise. • Winning the details: In the Feb. 7 meeting, AWC turned 19 Yavapai turnovers into 27 points and won the glass 41-36. • Balanced attack: #10 Marsai Mason (16.5 PPG) and #4 Matt Anglo (13.9 PPG) headline a deep rotation. • Impact contributors: #14 Mario Brunetto (10.0 PPG) added 12 points in 15 minutes in the last matchup; #13 Illiam Fevry scored 10 on 5-of-7 with 6 rebounds and 2 blocks; #33 Paora Winitana paced the team with 4 assists in the most recent win over Yavapai.

About the Roughriders

Yavapai enters searching for answers during a five-game losing streak, averaging just 60.2 points per game in that span. The Roughriders are at their best when leading scorer Jason Parent finds a rhythm, but their offense has fluctuated dramatically in two prior meetings with AWC.

• Key swing factor: #15 Jason Parent (15.1 PPG) erupted for 26 points on 11-of-13 shooting in a 74-72 loss in January, but was limited to 2 points (0-for-5) in a 69-61 defeat in the rematch. • Supporting scorers: #22 Torin Bosch (12.4 PPG) and #12 Rudolfs Svitins (11.2 PPG) must provide consistent punch; Svitins hit four threes and scored 17 off the bench last game. • Bench sparks and defense: #0 Alex Pierce (9.3 PPG) added 16 points off the bench in the last meeting; #10 Raphael Nibishaka altered the paint with 5 blocks. • Path to an upset: When Yavapai shoots it well, they can push AWC—as shown by a 59.6% FG performance in the 74-72 thriller—but turnovers and the rebounding margin have tilted toward the Matadors. • Series context: AWC leads the all-time series 23-11 and has won the last three meetings, including both this season.

Gametime 

Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30pm MST this evening. Fans can watch the game via PPV on Hudl.