Basketball Game Preview: Niangua Cardinals vs. School of the Ozarks Patriots

The Niangua Cardinals will take on the School of the Ozarks Patriots at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Having both just faced considerable losses, both teams are looking to turn things around.

Last Tuesday, Niangua took a blow against Bradleyville, falling 73-42. The Cardinals have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Meanwhile, School of the Ozarks suffered their biggest loss since January 14th on Tuesday. They came up short against Chadwick, falling 48-28. The defeat continues a trend for the Patriots in their matchups with the Cardinals: they've now lost seven in a row.

Niangua will have to contain Scott Carswell as he made an impact in School of the Ozarks' last game. He went 5-for-9 en route to 11 points and five steals. Carswell is on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last five games he's played. Canaan Thomas was another key player, putting up five points.

Niangua's loss dropped their record down to 3-21-1. As for School of the Ozarks, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-16.

Everything came up roses for Niangua against School of the Ozarks when the teams last played back in February of 2024, as the squad secured a 68-41 win. In that game, Niangua amassed a halftime lead of 42-19, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Thursday.