Preview: Andrews Wildcats vs. Blue Ridge Early College Bobcats
Andrews has enjoyed the comforts of home their last four games, but now they'll head out on the road. The Andrews Wildcats and the Blue Ridge Early College Bobcats will face off at 7:30 p.m. on January 18th without much rest after finishing up games yesterday. Andrews knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with flashy point totals in its past seven contests -- so hopefully Blue Ridge Early College likes a good challenge.
Andrews put the finishing touches on their fifth blowout victory of the season on Friday. They put the hurt on Hiwassee Dam with a sharp 74-54 win. Given Andrews' advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 206th, while Hiwassee Dam is ranked 625th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Andrews to victory, but perhaps none more so than Cameron Rattler, who dropped a double-double on 20 points and 13 rebounds. Rattler is absolutely dominating the rebound category: he's posted at least eight every time he's taken the court this season. Ty Clark was another key contributor, going 6 for 8 from beyond the arc en route to 18 points and 5 assists.
Blue Ridge Early College suffered their biggest loss since November 27, 2023 on Tuesday. They were dealt a 62-20 loss at the hands of Hayesville. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Blue Ridge Early College has scored all season.
Blue Ridge Early College's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Eric Puskarich, who scored 11 points along with two steals, and Ethan Henson who scored seven points along with 11 rebounds and four blocks.
Andrews' win bumped their record up to 12-2. As for Blue Ridge Early College, they have traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost five of their last six contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 2-9 record this season.
Thursday's game is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Andrews have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 35.1 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Blue Ridge Early College struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 16.5 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Everything came up roses for Andrews against Blue Ridge Early College when the teams last played back in January of 2023 as the team secured a 59-23 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Andrews since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
