Basketball Game Preview: Hulett Devils vs. Harding County Ranchers

Hulett is 0-3 against Harding County since January of 2017 but things could change on Thursday. The Hulett Devils will be playing in front of their home fans against the Harding County Ranchers at 7:15 p.m. Harding County took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Hulett, who comes in off a win.

Last Saturday, even if it wasn't a dominant performance, Hulett beat Midwest 66-61.

Meanwhile, Harding County's game on Monday was all tied up 21-21 at the half, but sadly for them it didn't stay that way. They took a 56-47 hit to the loss column at the hands of Bowman County co-op [Bowman/Rhame]. The Ranchers haven't had much luck with the Bulldogs recently, as the team has come up short the last eight times they've met.

Hulett will have to contain Cohen Smith as he made an impact in Harding County's last game. He went 10-for-16 en route to 23 points. Those 23 points gave Smith a new career-high. Hayden Pihl was another key player, putting up four points and eight boards.

Hulett has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won seven of their last eight games, which provided a nice bump to their 8-4 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 56.9 points over those games. As for Harding County, their loss dropped their record down to 6-10.

Hulett ended up a good deal behind Harding County when the teams last played back in February of 2024, losing 66-52. Will Hulett have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.