Basketball Game Preview: Crest Ridge Cougars vs. Concordia Fighting Orioles

After both having extra time off, the Crest Ridge Cougars and the Concordia Fighting Orioles will shake off the cobwebs and square off against one another at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, both will really light up the scoreboard.

Concordia is hoping to do what Leeton couldn't last Friday: put an end to Crest Ridge's winning streak, which now stands at four games. Crest Ridge simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Leeton 55-28. The Cougars have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won five matchups by 27 points or more this season.

Kayley Marten had an outrageously good game as she dropped a double-double on 17 points and ten rebounds. Brilynn Fleming was another key player, putting up 14 points along with six assists and six boards.

Crest Ridge smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 12 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in nine consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Concordia fought the good fight in their overtime game against Crest Ridge on December 14th but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Cougars by a score of 58-56.

Crest Ridge's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-1. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 56.3 points per game. As for Concordia, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-1.

Crest Ridge skirted past Concordia 58-56 in their previous meeting on December 14th. The rematch might be a little tougher for Crest Ridge since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.