Basketball Game Preview: Murrah Mustangs vs. Starkville Yellowjackets

Murrah hasn't had much luck against Starkville recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Murrah Mustangs will look to defend their home court against the Starkville Yellowjackets at 6:00 p.m.

Murrah is headed into Friday's contest looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their seventh straight game on Tuesday. They lost to Germantown on the road by a 56-38 margin. While losing is never fun, the Mustangs can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Mississippi basketball rankings (they are ranked 173rd, while the Mavericks are ranked 49th).

Meanwhile, Starkville came tearing into Tuesday's game with eight straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 19.8 points) and they left with even more momentum. They skirted past the Golden Wave 51-48. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Yellowjackets have posted since January 25, 2024.

Starkville has been performing well recently as they've won 11 of their last 13 matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 16-5 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.9 points per game. As for Murrah, their loss dropped their record down to 4-15.

Murrah might still be hurting after the 63-37 defeat they got from Starkville when the teams last played back in December of 2024. Will Murrah have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.