Basketball Game Preview: Columbia Wildcats vs. Mattamuskeet Lakers

Columbia has gone 8-2 against Mattamuskeet recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Columbia Wildcats will welcome the Mattamuskeet Lakers at 7:30 p.m. Mattamuskeet took a loss in their last contest and will be looking to turn the tables on Columbia, who comes in off a win.

Last Tuesday, Columbia made easy work of Cape Hatteras and carried off a 58-37 win. The victory continues a trend for the Wildcats in their matchups with the Hurricanes: they've now won six in a row.

Jayden Sawyer

Points

02/18/25 @ Cape Hatteras	28
02/13/25 @ Bear Grass Charter	20
02/11/25 vs Cape Hatteras	16
02/07/25 @ Mattamuskeet	28
02/04/25 @ Hobgood Charter	27
+ 9 more games

Jayden Sawyer was his usual excellent self, going 12-for-19 on his way to 28 points in addition to eight rebounds and five steals. His evening made it 14 games in a row in which he has scored at least 16 points. Another player making a difference was Jaimarques Whitley, who went 5-for-10 to rack up 11 points and five boards.

Columbia smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds every time they've taken the court this season.

Meanwhile, Mattamuskeet came up short against Bear Grass Charter on Monday and fell 63-52. The Lakers have struggled against the Bears recently, as the game was their eighth consecutive lost matchup.

The win was their first on the road , bumping their record up to 5-16. As for Mattamuskeet, their loss dropped their record down to 5-11.

Columbia came up short against Mattamuskeet when the teams last played two weeks ago, falling 46-41. Will Columbia have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.