Basketball Game Preview: Smith Center Redmen vs. Hoxie Indians

Smith Center hasn't had much luck against Hoxie recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Smith Center Redmen will face off against the Hoxie Indians at 7:30 p.m.

Last Friday, Smith Center came up short against Phillipsburg and fell 67-55.

Despite their defeat, Smith Center saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Mason Enochs, who posted 14 points along with six boards and three steals, was perhaps the best of all. Enochs has been hot for a while, having posted two or more steals the last nine times he's played. Daveyon Orr was another key player, going 5 of 12 en route to 14 points.

Meanwhile, Hoxie won against Russell on Tuesday with 48 points and they decided to stick to that point total again on Friday. Hoxie strolled past Quinter with points to spare, taking the game 48-32. The victory was familiar territory for the Indians who have now won three matches in a row.

Hoxie is also on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six games, which provided a nice bump to their 9-5 record this season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.7 points per game. As for Smith Center, their loss ended a five-game streak of away wins dating back to last season and brought them to 4-9.

Smith Center strolled past Hoxie when the teams last played back in January of 2024 by a score of 56-42. The rematch might be a little tougher for Smith Center since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.