Basketball Game Preview: Franklin Sabers vs. Milwaukee Bradley Tech Trojans

The Franklin Sabers and the Milwaukee Bradley Tech Trojans will round out the year against one another at at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: both posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Franklin played in conference for the first time on Thursday and they got just the result they we're looking for. They escaped with a win against Oak Creek by the margin of a single free throw, 64-63. The win was all the more spectacular given the Sabers' disadvantage in MaxPreps' Wisconsin basketball rankings (they are ranked 260th, while the Knights are ranked 113th).

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Milwaukee Bradley Tech). They breezed by Veritas/Tenor to the tune of 95-31 on Saturday. The Trojans have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won five matches by 23 points or more this season.

Milwaukee Bradley Tech's win came from a few key players Franklin will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Arvell Lockhart, who went 9 for 14 on his way to 21 points in addition to five boards and five steals. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in assists (four). Another player making a difference was Rashad Fenner, who went 9 of 13 en route to 22 points along with five boards and three steals.

Milwaukee Bradley Tech smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 21 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in 20 consecutive contests dating back to last season.

Milwaukee Bradley Tech pushed their record up to 6-2 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 43.2 points. As for Franklin, their win bumped their record up to 2-3.

Everything came up roses for Franklin against Milwaukee Bradley Tech in their previous matchup back in December of 2017, as the team secured a 97-67 victory. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Milwaukee Bradley Tech's Mikell Cooper, who almost dropped a double-double on 31 points and nine rebounds. Now that he won't be playing on Friday, will it be easier for Franklin to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.