Basketball Game Preview: Jefferson Raiders vs. Decatur Golden Gators

Jefferson hasn't had much luck against Decatur recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Jefferson Raiders will look to defend their home court against the Decatur Golden Gators at 7:00 p.m.

Jefferson is headed into Thursday's match looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their 20th straight game dating back to last season on Monday. They were outmatched by Federal Way and fell 74-24. The Raiders were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 49-11.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Decatur). They had just enough and edged Auburn Riverside out 80-77. The win was familiar territory for the Golden Gators who have now won three games in a row.

Decatur's win came from a few key players Jefferson will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Dar Mcjimpson Jr, who went 5 for 10 on his way to 26 points and five assists. The dominant performance gave him a new career-high in assists. The team also got some help courtesy of Sam Corbett, who dropped a double-double on 16 points and 14 rebounds.

Jefferson's defeat dropped their record down to 0-11. As for Decatur, their victory ended a four-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 3-6.

Jefferson came up short against Decatur in their previous matchup back in December of 2023, falling 63-58. Can Jefferson avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.