The North Providence Cougars will venture away from home to square off against the Prout Crusaders at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. North Providence is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 50.4 points per game this season.
North Providence is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They enjoyed a cozy 52-34 victory over Central. The Cougars haven't had any issues with the Knights recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive win against them.
Riddhi Mistry
| 01/30/25 vs Mt. Pleasant | 7 |
| 01/28/25 @ Burrillville | 7 |
| 02/05/25 @ Central | 6 |
| 01/16/25 vs Woonsocket | 6 |
| 02/19/25 vs Central | 5 |
| + 12 more games |
Riddhi Mistry was the offensive standout of the contest as she posted 13 points and five steals. She is becoming a predictor of North Providence's success: when she posts at least three steals the team is 11-3 (and 3-4 when she doesn't). Marianna Xavier was another key player, going 6-for-12 en route to 12 points.
North Providence smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 22 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in 14 consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Prout had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 24 points) and they went ahead and made it three last Thursday. They were the clear victor by a 47-26 margin over Central Falls/Blackstone Valley Prep. The Crusaders have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 12 games by 21 points or more this season.
North Providence better keep an eye on Erin Young. She was instrumental in Prout's win, putting up 12 points in addition to eight steals and seven rebounds. Young is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in each of the last eight games she's played. Another player making a difference was Millie Maher, who scored six points along with seven boards and six steals.
Prout's victory was their eighth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 18-3. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 30.2 points. As for North Providence, their record is now 14-7.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: North Providence has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 38.2 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Prout struggles in that department as they've been averaging 39.2 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
North Providence barely slipped by Prout in their previous meeting two weeks ago, winning 38-37. The rematch might be a little tougher for North Providence since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
