Basketball Game Preview: Live Oak Eagles vs. Woodlawn-B.R. Panthers

Live Oak is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Woodlawn-B.R. is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Live Oak Eagles will welcome the Woodlawn-B.R. Panthers at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

Last Thursday, Live Oak came up short against Ascension Catholic and fell 73-65.

Meanwhile, it may have taken overtime to finish the job, but Woodlawn-B.R. ultimately got the result they hoped for on Saturday. They escaped with a win against St. Helena College and Career Academy by the margin of a single free throw, 51-50.

Woodlawn-B.R.'s win came from a few key players Live Oak will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Kaleb Brandon, who posted 11 points and eight assists. Another player making a difference was Kelinee Stone, who dropped a double-double on 16 points and 16 rebounds.

Woodlawn-B.R. smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in six consecutive matchups.

Live Oak has traveled a rocky road recently having lost six of their last eight games, which put a noticeable dent in their 10-11 record this season. That patch can't be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.3 points per game. As for Woodlawn-B.R., they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests, which provided a nice bump to their 14-8 record this season.

Live Oak skirted past Woodlawn-B.R. 65-63 in their previous meeting back in November of 2023. Does Live Oak have another victory up their sleeve, or will Woodlawn-B.R. turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.