Nic At Salt Lake; Utah Valley

North Idaho (6-8 Scenic West, 14-12 overall) visits Salt Lake (8-7,20-7) tonight and Utah Valley (8-7,18-9) in Orem on Saturday. Game times are 6:30 p.m. PST. The NIC women (6-8,10-13) face the same foes, Salt Lake (12-3,19-6) and No. 10-ranked Utah Valley (13-2,24-2).

At a glance

North Idaho can gain on two opponents it trails in the SWAC standings. Salt Lake and Utah Valley each relies on one player. The Bruins’ burly 6-foot-4 wing Marcel Johnnson had 25 points in a win over NIC last month and Utah Valley’s 6-6 Bryon Ruffner is averaging 24.5 points per SWAC game.

The Cardinals must try to contain Johnson while not letting others get free. Like last time, when center Matt Pinkney hit 10 of 11 shots and had 20 points. He averages only five points per game.

NIC’s women try to forget last week’s 70-43 loss to Ricks. Salt Lake, led by the 13-point averages of Krista Wardle and Laura Goulding, is third in the SWAC. Utah Valley, paced by Kim Morris (14.8 points) and Marci Stilson (14.2), is second.