Basketball Game Preview: Martinsburg Bulldogs vs. Jefferson Cougars

Martinsburg and Jefferson are an even 5-5 against one another since January of 2020, but not for long. The Martinsburg Bulldogs will face off against the Jefferson Cougars at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this game.

Martinsburg is probably headed into the matchup with a chip on their shoulder considering Musselman just ended the team's three-game winning streak on Thursday. They took a 45-37 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Applemen. The contest marked the Bulldogs' lowest-scoring game so far this season.

Martinsburg's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Addyson Strovel, who dropped a double-double on 13 points and 15 rebounds, and Aaliyah Wymer, who went 5 for 12 en route to 13 points in addition to six steals and three blocks. Strovel is on a roll when it comes to boards, as she's now pulled down eight or more in the last eight games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Tianna Sanabria, who posted six points along with five rebounds and five steals.

Even though they lost, Martinsburg smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 20 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 18 offensive rebounds in three consecutive matches.

Meanwhile, Jefferson was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. They were six points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 48-42 heartbreaker at the hands of Spring Mills.

Martinsburg's loss dropped their record down to 7-3. As for Jefferson, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-7.

Martinsburg took their win against Jefferson in their previous meeting on Tuesday by a conclusive 45-24. The rematch might be a little tougher for Martinsburg since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.