Basketball Game Preview: Crosstown Explorers vs. Memphis Rise Academy Rockets + How To Watch

The Crosstown Explorers will take on the Memphis Rise Academy Rockets in a holiday battle at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The squads are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Crosstown has struggled recently with five defeats in a row, while Memphis Rise Academy will arrive with four straight victories.

On Friday, Crosstown took a blow against Memphis East, falling 70-32. The matchup marked the Explorers' lowest-scoring game so far this season.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Memphis Rise Academy). They breezed past Pleasant View to the tune of 74-39 on Monday. The team's explosion on offense also rewarded the Rockets with their most commanding win of the season.

Memphis Rise Academy's win came from a few key players Crosstown will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Ta'Varreo Smith, who went 9-for-15 on his way to 21 points. He is also on a roll when it comes to shooting accuracy, as he's posted one of at least 60% in the last four games he's played. Another player making a difference was Ambren Tyson, who almost dropped a double-double with 20 points and nine rebounds.

Crosstown's loss dropped their record down to 1-5. As for Memphis Rise Academy, their win bumped their record up to 5-2.

Crosstown and Memphis Rise Academy were neck-and-neck when the teams last played back in January, but Crosstown came up empty-handed after a 58-57 defeat. Can the Explorers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.