Preview: Neligh-Oakdale Warriors vs. North Central Knights
The Neligh-Oakdale Warriors will be playing in front of their home fans against the North Central Knights at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. The squads are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Neligh-Oakdale has struggled recently with three losses in a row, while North Central will arrive with four straight victories.
Neligh-Oakdale suffered their biggest loss since December 12, 2023 on Tuesday. They were beaten by West Holt 64-37. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Neligh-Oakdale in their matchups with West Holt: they've now lost five in a row.
Hailey Horstmann put forth a good effort for the losing side as she scored 12 points along with eight rebounds. Another player making a difference was McKenna Boggs, who scored 12 points.
Meanwhile, North Central was able to grind out a solid win over Creighton on Thursday, taking the game 50-41.
North Central found their leader in underclassman Mya Lewis, who dropped a double-double on 19 points and 16 rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Lewis has scored all season. The team also got some help courtesy of Morgan Lewis, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and ten rebounds.
Neligh-Oakdale has traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost seven of their last eight contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-12 record this season. As for North Central, their win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-6.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Neligh-Oakdale have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 23.3 rebounds per game. However, it's not like North Central struggles in that department as they've been averaging 32 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Neligh-Oakdale was taken down by North Central 53-10 when the teams last played back in January of 2022. Will Neligh-Oakdale have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.
