Hitting the home stretch in the Scenic West Athletic Conference schedule, both the North Idaho College men's and women's basketball teams know that a false step now could alter their postseason plans.

That home stretch continues tonight when NIC hosts Salt Lake, followed by a visit from Snow College on Saturday. The Cardinals wrap up their home schedule next Saturday when they play Southern Idaho.

The NIC men trail Salt Lake by one game for second place in the SWAC, while NIC's women lead Snow by a game with five games remaining.

"If we beat Salt Lake, we'll own the tiebreaker against them, should it come to that," NIC men's basketball coach Jared Phay said. "It's the same deal with Snow. I think it's a big weekend for us, because there's a strong possibility it could get down to a situation where some of us are tied for second or third."

"We're really looking forward to it," NIC women's basketball coach Chris Carlson said. "This is when some great basketball is happening. Players are really starting to spark right now."

In the men's tournament in Salt Lake City, the No. 4 and No. 5 will have a play-in game, with the winner advancing to play the conference champion. The No. 2 and No. 3 team will play in another semifinal.

All six conference teams will compete in the women's tournament starting March 8.

Men: NIC leads the league in scoring defense, allowing 66.4 points a game.

NIC beat Salt Lake 74-66 in their first meeting on Jan. 7 in Coeur d'Alene before the Bruins beat the Cardinals 71-61 in Salt Lake City. The Cardinals also beat Snow 63-60 on Jan. 5 before losing in Ephraim, Utah, 81-78 on Jan. 28.

"Salt Lake has been playing well since the last time they came up here," Phay said. "They're much improved and have been playing some really good basketball."

Skyler Halford leads Salt Lake with 9.3 points a game.

"We can't let them outwork us," Phay said. "Our effort and energy are going to be a big part of us getting a win. We need to execute down the stretch.”

Travis Wilkins leads the conference in scoring for Snow with 17.7 points a game.

“They just lost a heartbreaker at Salt Lake on a tip-in at the buzzer,” Phay said. “They’re coming off a tough loss and right there with anyone in the conference.”

Keon Lewis is fifth with 15 points a game, including a team-high 19 points in the Cardinals’ 81-78 win in triple overtime Saturday against Utah State-Eastern Utah at Rolly Williams Court.

Michael Middlebrooks leads the conference in blocked shots with 3.7 and had a career-high nine Saturday. Kaj Sherman is third with 1.2 a game, with seven coming in Saturday’s win.

“Both Mike and Kaj are inspiring our guys,” Phay said. “You really don’t realize hard those guys have to work. They’re getting hit and being pushed around on every play.”

Middlebrooks dove for a loose ball and hit the floor late in the third overtime of the Cardinals’ win.

“Seeing that kind of play inspires them,” Phay said. “Some of those guys, from the minutes they played, I’m amazed to see how hard they were playing at the end of the game.”

Women: NIC, with a 63-58 win over Utah State-Eastern Utah on Saturday, coupled with a Snow loss at Salt Lake, took a one-game lead in the standings with five games to play. NIC also beat Colorado Northwestern 78-44 last Thursday to open a five-game home stand.

“To get two wins is a great start to our final homestand of the season,” Carlson said. “Now we’ve got some momentum for our final couple of games at home. We’re going to have to continue to work hard, but we’re glad to be home.”

Korina Baker is fifth in SWAC scoring with 12.5 points per game and Katie Buskey is 10th with 10.9 for NIC. Sofia Hepworth is third with 14.1 for Salt Lake, which has won four straight games.

Erica Martinez is second in the SWAC in scoring for Snow (14-10, 7-3) with 18.9 a game.