Basketball Game Preview: Bartlesville Bruins vs. Broken Arrow Tigers

The Bartlesville Bruins are taking a road trip to face off against the Broken Arrow Tigers at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Bartlesville took a loss when they played away from home back in December of 2024, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed two weeks ago. They skirted past Enid 42-39. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Bruins have posted since January 19, 2024.

Bartlesville's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Sami Sheaffer led the charge by putting up 11 points in addition to five rebounds and four steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Cadence Gray, who posted six points.

Meanwhile, Broken Arrow faced Fort Gibson in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Saturday. Broken Arrow walked away with a 56-48 victory over Fort Gibson.

Bartlesville better keep an eye on McKenzie Mathurin. She was instrumental in Broken Arrow's win, going 8 of 20 on her way to 23 points and five rebounds. The game was Mathurin's seventh in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Macy Marraccini, who had nine points and three steals.

Broken Arrow smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with ten offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in three consecutive matches.

Bartlesville's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 4-2. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.5 points per game. As for Broken Arrow, their record now sits at 6-1.

Things could have been worse for Bartlesville, but things could have been a whole lot better as they took a 46-31 loss to Broken Arrow in their previous meeting back in January of 2024. Can Bartlesville avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.