Basketball Game Preview: Merced Bears vs. Los Banos Tigers

The Merced Bears will square off against the Los Banos Tigers at 7:15 p.m. on Thursday. Having both just faced considerable losses, both teams are looking to turn things around.

Merced is probably headed into the matchup with a chip on their shoulder considering El Capitan just ended the team's four-game winning streak on Tuesday. They took a blow against the Gauchos, falling 67-33. The contest marked the Bears' lowest-scoring game so far this season.

Meanwhile, Los Banos suffered their biggest defeat since December 2, 2023 on Tuesday. They were beaten by Atwater 80-41. The Tigers were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 43-16.

Merced's loss ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 10-8. As for Los Banos, their defeat dropped their record down to 13-4.

Merced came up short against Los Banos when the teams last played back in December of 2023, falling 58-46. Will Merced have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.