Basketball Game Preview: Madison Cubs vs. Rushville Lions

The Madison Cubs will face off against the Rushville Lions at 8:00 p.m. on Friday. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this matchup.

Last Tuesday, Madison came up short against Charlestown and fell 67-58. The Cubs have struggled against the Pirates recently, as the game was their third consecutive lost matchup.

Meanwhile, Rushville was not able to break out of their rough patch on Wednesday as the team picked up their fourth straight loss. They lost 55-33 to Centerville. While losing is never fun, the Lions can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Indiana basketball rankings (they are ranked 347th, while the Bulldogs are ranked 154th).

Madison will need focus on slowing down XxZavien Jenkins, one of several Rushville players who made an impact when they last played. He went 5 of 10 en route to 12 points and eight rebounds. Jenkins is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Owen Zachery, who posted nine points.

Madison's record is now 4-9. As for Rushville, their record now sits at 2-11.

Madison was able to grind out a solid win over Rushville in their previous meeting back in January of 2024, winning 45-36. The rematch might be a little tougher for Madison since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.