Basketball Game Preview: Johnson Central Golden Eagles vs. Lawrence County Bulldogs

Johnson Central is 8-2 against Lawrence County since January of 2017 and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Tuesday. The Johnson Central Golden Eagles will square off against the Lawrence County Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. Johnson Central is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 68.6 points per game this season.

Johnson Central is headed into the match having just suffered their biggest defeat since February 19, 2024 on Saturday. They were dealt a 70-42 loss at the hands of Lexington Catholic. The game marked the Golden Eagles' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.

Despite the defeat, Johnson Central saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Austin Slone posted 16 points and six rebounds. Slone's afternoon made it five games in a row in which he has scored at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Kyle Rose, who earned six points and nine boards.

Meanwhile, Lawrence County posted their biggest victory since December 5, 2024 on Friday. They blew past Prestonsburg 83-63. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Bulldogs have posted against the Blackcats since February 22, 2022.

Lawrence County has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five matches, which provided a nice bump to their 12-5 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 84.6 points per game. As for Johnson Central, they have been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 7-7 record this season.

Johnson Central didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Lawrence County when the teams last played back in January of 2023, but they still walked away with a 74-68 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Johnson Central since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.