Basketball Game Preview: Rhinelander Hodags vs. Merrill Bluejays

The Rhinelander Hodags will face off against the Merrill Bluejays at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Merrill is facing Rhinelander at the wrong time: Rhinelander suffered their first home loss of the season on Friday and they're likely out for redemption. They took a 71-63 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Raiders. The loss was a bit of a surprise, as the Hodags came into the contest with a sizable advantage in MaxPreps' Wisconsin basketball rankings (they are ranked 91st, while the Raiders are ranked 202nd).

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Merrill). They put the hurt on Antigo with a sharp 77-57 win on Saturday.

Rhinelander's loss ended a ten-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 10-3. As for Merrill, they now have a winning record of 8-7.

Rhinelander came up short against Merrill in their previous meeting back in December of 2023, falling 72-66. Will Rhinelander have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.