Basketball Game Preview: Niobrara/Verdigre Cougars vs. St. Mary's Cardinals

Niobrara/Verdigre hasn't had much luck against St. Mary recently, but that could start to change on Monday. A feisty cat fight is on tap when the Niobrara/Verdigre Cougars challenge the St. Mary's Cardinals at 6:00 p.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Niobrara/Verdigre comes in on three and St. Mary's on 12.

Niobrara/Verdigre saw some tournament action on Saturday. They enjoyed a cozy 65-48 win over Santee.

Niobrara/Verdigre's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Delani Runnels, who went 10 of 21 en route to 29 points in addition to seven rebounds and three steals. Those 29 points gave Runnels a new career-high. Taylen Stark was another key player, almost dropping a double-double on 21 points and nine steals.

Meanwhile, everything came up roses for St. Mary's against Boyd County on Saturday as the squad secured a 61-20 victory. The Cardinals have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won ten contests by 23 points or more this season.

St. Mary's win came from a few key players Niobrara/Verdigre will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Adyson Peterson, who went 8 for 19 on her way to 23 points and three steals. Another player making a difference was Gracie Williamson, who went 6 of 7 en route to 16 points along with five boards and four steals.

Niobrara/Verdigre has been performing well recently as they've won nine of their last 11 matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 13-5 record this season. As for St. Mary's, their win bumped their record up to 18-1.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Niobrara/Verdigre has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 32.1 rebounds per game. However, it's not like St. Mary's struggles in that department as they've been averaging 30 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

Niobrara/Verdigre ended up a good deal behind St. Mary's when the teams last played back in December of 2024, losing 49-34. Can Niobrara/Verdigre avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.