Basketball Game Preview: Jacksonville Cardinals vs. Rocky Mount Gryphons

The Jacksonville Cardinals will head out on the road to square off against the Rocky Mount Gryphons at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are coming into the matchup red-hot, with Jacksonville sitting on four straight victories and Rocky Mount on 17.

Jacksonville is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They blew past E.E. Smith 67-46. The Cardinals have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 12 games by 21 points or more this season.

Meanwhile, Rocky Mount blew past White Oak, posting a 56-10 win. The Gryphons are also no stranger to big wins: their blowout on Tuesday was the 17th contest they've won by 20+ points this season.

Jacksonville better keep an eye on Kira Jones. She was instrumental in Rocky Mount's win, on her way to 22 points and five steals. Jones is crushing it when it comes to steals: she's grabbed at least two every time she's taken the court this season. Another player making a difference was ZaNadiyah Harris, who posted ten points and four steals.

Rocky Mount smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive boards in 17 consecutive matchups.

Rocky Mount's victory was their eighth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 21-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 66.9 points over those games. As for Jacksonville, their win bumped their record up to 18-6.