Basketball Game Preview: Argonaut Mustangs vs. Liberty Ranch Hawks

The Argonaut Mustangs will venture away from home to square off against the Liberty Ranch Hawks at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

Last Friday, Argonaut came up short against Union Mine and fell 45-35.

Despite their loss, Argonaut saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Alayna Critchfield, who posted six points in addition to 11 boards and three steals, was perhaps the best of all. Critchfield is crushing it when it comes to boards: she's pulled down at least eight every time she's taken the court this season. Another player making a difference was Brynn Begovich, who posted eight points.

Even though they lost, Argonaut smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in 16 consecutive matches.

Meanwhile, Liberty Ranch came tearing into Friday's game with ten straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 19.4 points) and they left with even more momentum. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat the Buffaloes 68-10. The Hawks have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won nine contests by 20 points or more this season.

Liberty Ranch's win came from a few key players Argonaut will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Kamrynn Blevins, who went 7 of 9 on her way to 14 points in addition to eight steals and five assists. The dominant performance gave her a new career-high in steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Madisyn Robbins, who went 8 of 9 on her way to 16 points.

Liberty Ranch pushed their record up to 13-2 with the victory, which was their eighth straight on the road dating back to last season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 64.6 points per game. As for Argonaut, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-8.

Argonaut beat Liberty Ranch 65-56 in their previous meeting back in February of 2022. The rematch might be a little tougher for Argonaut since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.