Basketball Game Preview: Laurel Spartans vs. Wise Pumas

Laurel is 0-10 against Wise since February of 2016 but things could change on Tuesday. The Laurel Spartans will face off against the Wise Pumas at 7:00 p.m. One thing working in Laurel's favor is that they have posted at least 55 points in their last 14 matches.

Laurel will bounce into Tuesday's contest after beating Bowie, who they had gone 0-9 against in their nine prior meetings. Laurel was the clear victors by a 68-44 margin over Bowie on Friday. The Spartans have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 11 games by 23 points or more this season.

Meanwhile, Wise didn't have too much trouble with Suitland on Friday as they won 82-65. Given the Pumas' advantage in MaxPreps' Maryland basketball rankings (they are ranked 35th, while the Rams are ranked 109th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Wise's win came from a few key players Laurel will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Cayden Hargrove, who dropped a double-double with 21 points and 12 boards. That's the most points he has posted since back in December of 2023. Another player making a difference was Dion Walker, who went 7-for-16 to rack up 22 points and three blocks.

Wise smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with ten offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in eight consecutive matchups.

Laurel has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won 13 of their last 14 contests, which provided a nice bump to their 17-2 record this season. As for Wise, their record is now 15-4.

Laurel couldn't quite finish off Wise in their previous meeting back in January and fell 84-81. Can Laurel avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.