Basketball Game Preview: Dupree Tigers vs. Harding County Ranchers

The Dupree Tigers will head out to face off against the Harding County Ranchers at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Dupree took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They snuck past Lead-Deadwood with a 42-38 win.

Meanwhile, Harding County put another one in the bag on Thursday to keep their perfect season alive. They took down Timber Lake 43-29. Given the Ranchers' advantage in MaxPreps' South Dakota basketball rankings (they are ranked 13th, while the Panthers are ranked 84th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Harding County's win came from a few key players Dupree will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Kamry Padden, who posted 12 points and seven steals. She has been hot, having posted two or more steals the last eight times she's played. Another player making a difference was Bailey Rae Verhulst, who scored 11 points and five steals.

Harding County smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 20 offensive boards. That's the most offensive rebounds they've posted since back in February of 2024.

Harding County's victory was their 15th straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 15-0. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 57.7 points over those games. As for Dupree, their record now sits at 2-15.

Dupree was taken down by Harding County 54-16 when the teams last played back in February of 2024. Can Dupree avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.