Basketball Game Preview: Hazelwood West Wildcats vs. Lutheran Cougars

A feisty cat fight is on tap when the Hazelwood West Wildcats face off against the Lutheran Cougars at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday... Hazelwood West is coming into the match on a four-game losing streak.

Hazelwood West is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against Parkway South on Tuesday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. Hazelwood West lost 56-33 to Parkway South. While losing is never fun, the Wildcats can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Missouri basketball rankings (they are ranked 326th, while the Patriots are ranked 75th).

Meanwhile, Lutheran won against Parkway West last Wednesday with 58 points and they decided to stick to that point total again on Friday. Lutheran pulled ahead with a 58-57 photo finish over Kirkwood. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Cougars.

Lutheran's win ended an 11-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 4-12. As for Hazelwood West, their defeat dropped their record down to an identical 4-12.