Basketball Game Preview: Hearne Eagles vs. Iola Bulldogs

The Hearne Eagles will head out to square off against the Iola Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Hearne's favor is that they have posted at least 55 points in their last six contests.

It was a Battle of the Birds when Hearne challenged Snook on Friday. Hearne took their matchup with ease, bagging a 70-33 win over Snook. The Eagles have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 12 games by 21 points or more this season.

It was another big night for Dereion Mitchell, who dropped a double-double on 21 points and 18 boards. He is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as he's now pulled down eight or more in the last six games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Zayden Mercer, who went 6 for 12 en route to 14 points and five assists.

Hearne smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in 25 consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Iola narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past Snook 49-46.

Hearne is also on a roll lately: they've won 12 of their last 13 matches, which provided a nice bump to their 21-4 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 62.5 points per game. As for Iola, their win bumped their record up to 9-12.

Hearne beat Iola 63-53 in their previous meeting on January 7th. The rematch might be a little tougher for Hearne since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.