The Eastern Wayne Warriors will face off against the Spring Creek Gators at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. One thing working in Eastern Wayne's favor is that they have posted at least 55 points in their last six matchups.
Last Wednesday, everything came up roses for Eastern Wayne against Princeton as the squad secured an 85-53 win. The Warriors have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won six contests by 20 points or more this season.
It was another big night for Michael Bailey, who went 13 for 22 en route to 24 points and six assists. Another player making a difference was Charlie Thomas, who dropped a double-double on 11 points and 12 boards.
Bailey wasn't the only one working in the assists department: Eastern Wayne was working as a unit and finished the game with 22 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Spring Creek, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Monday. They were the clear victor by a 67-43 margin over Rosewood on Wednesday. That looming 67-43 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Gators yet this season.
Spring Creek's win came from a few key players Eastern Wayne will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Brennan Chambers, who went 6 of 13 on his way to 14 points along with eight rebounds and six assists. That's the most assists he has posted since back in November of 2023. Nathan Jackson was another key player, going 7 for 13 en route to 18 points.
Spring Creek has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five games, which provided a massive bump to their 6-7 record this season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 62.6 points per game. As for Eastern Wayne, their victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 11-4.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Eastern Wayne has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 39.6 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Spring Creek struggles in that department as they've been averaging 24.3 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Eastern Wayne took their win against Spring Creek in their previous matchup back in February of 2024 by a conclusive 83-57. In that match, Eastern Wayne amassed a halftime lead of 41-20, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.
