Basketball Game Preview: Anselmo-Merna Coyotes vs. Ainsworth Bulldogs

The Anselmo-Merna Coyotes will square off against the Ainsworth Bulldogs at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Anselmo-Merna will be strutting in after a victory while Ainsworth will be coming in after a defeat.

Anselmo-Merna took a loss when they played away from home last Thursday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They enjoyed a cozy 42-24 win over Arcadia/Loup City. The Coyotes pushed the score to 34-14 by the end of the third, a deficit the Rebels cut but never quite recovered from.

Anselmo-Merna's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Jenna Bartak, who posted seven points in addition to seven rebounds and five assists. The team also got some help courtesy of Shayleigh Coleman, who put up six points and nine boards.

Anselmo-Merna smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 19 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in nine consecutive games dating back to last season.

Meanwhile, in Thursday's Canine Competition, Ainsworth had to take the L. They came up short against West Holt on Thursday, falling 57-37. Bulldogs fans who chose to attend the game sure picked the wrong one: it was the first time the team has lost against the Huskies since Thursday.

Ainsworth now has a losing record of 1-2. As for Anselmo-Merna, the victory got them back to even at 1-1.

Everything came up roses for Anselmo-Merna against Ainsworth in their previous meeting back in December of 2024, as the team secured a 62-26 win. In that contest, the Coyotes amassed a halftime lead of 40-11, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.