HENDERSON, Nev. (February 13, 2023) - The final weeks of the winter season are hanging on in Southern Nevada.
 
As the cold desert nights turn to warm, sunny days, the CSN Athletic Department is warming up with a week of home baseball games and road basketball games. CSN Men's-and-Women's Basketball will take to the road for games at Salt Lake and Southern Idaho, while the CSN Baseball team will host a weekend series with Prairie Baseball Academy.
 
For more information and upcoming schedules, visit csncoyotes.com.
 
Baseball: A split weekend of action at home last week is leaving the CSN Baseball team with a mixed feeling.
 
Southern Nevada split games with South Mountain Community College, setting the Coyotes at a respectable 8-4 to open the 2023 season. Now with a weekend of competition against Prairie Baseball Academy ahead, CSN skipper Nick Garritano said his team will need to be prepared for a stiff challenge from the Canadian club program.
 
"Prairie Baseball Academy is a traditional Canadian power house program that competes for the collegiate Canadian national championship on a yearly basis," he said.  "It will be very young in their 2023 spring season. We expect them to be a very solid club. It should be a great opportunity for both clubs to continue to get experience needed to get ready for league play in a couple weeks."
 
Even though the season is young, Garritano said his team is building a strong foundation.
 
"This early in the season, consistency is something you continuously try to build," he stated. "Baseball is a very up-and-down game; trusting the process you work on day-in and day-out ,and then implementing that into your game setting is critical to success."
 
Southern Nevada will play a doubleheader Saturday at Morse Stadium, with single games on Sunday and Monday. 
 
Men's Basketball: The CSN Men's Basketball team is riding a wave of momentum into a critical week of Scenic West play.
 
With just two weeks left in the regular season, the Coyotes are attempting to hang onto a playoff berth and have a stiff task ahead, facing off against No. 1 Southern Idaho and No. 7 Salt Lake. CSN lost competitive games to both teams this season, with this week's matchups taking place on the road.
 
Coyotes coach Russ Beck noted the importance of consistent play in his weekly comments.
 
"This week we play two of the top teams in the country; one that hasn't been beat (Southern Idaho) and one that is coming off a surprise upset (Salt Lake)," he said. "We will have our hands full as we will be a little short-handed."
 
When looking ahead at the challenge of the opponents, Beck noted the importance of sharing a few simple phrases with the team.
 
"We always talk with our guys about character, dealing with adversity, and doing things the right way," he said. 
 
CSN will close the season at home on Feb. 25, facing off against USU Eastern. 
 
Women's Basketball: The Southern Nevada Women's Basketball team is currently on the outside looking in on the Region 18 playoff hunt, rising the already-high stakes for this week's Scenic West Athletic Conference games.
 
CSN will take to the road for games at nationally ranked Southern Idaho and Salt Lake. The Lady Coyotes are 1.5 games out of the final playoff spot in the Scenic West, with games against teams they have yet to beat currently on the schedule.
 
Noting the challenges that lie ahead, Lady Coyotes coach Dan Savage stated the importance of a positive mindset this week.
 
"We are always reminding our players that we have the tools and ability to play with anyone on our schedule," he said. " If we play with confidence, we can beat anyone."