Basketball Game Preview: Elgin/Pope John Wolfpack vs. Wausa Vikings

Elgin/Pope John is 5-0 against Wausa since December of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Saturday. Having just played yesterday, the Elgin/Pope John Wolfpack will head out on the road to face off against the Wausa Vikings at 3:00 p.m. Elgin/Pope John is currently enjoying a perfect season and no doubt wants to keep things rolling.

Elgin/Pope John is headed into the game after thoroughly thrashing Plainview: they outscored them in every quarter. Elgin/Pope John strolled past Plainview with points to spare on Friday, taking the game 41-25. The team accrued 31 points in the first half and coasted on those for the victory.

Elgin/Pope John got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Madelyn Kurpgeweit out in front who posted 12 points. The dominant performance gave Kurpgeweit a new career-high in points. The team also got some help courtesy of Braelyn Martinsen, who put up 11 points.

Meanwhile, Wausa's game on Tuesday was all tied up 22-22 at the half, but luckily for them it didn't stay that way. They enjoyed a cozy 49-32 victory over Creighton. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Vikings.

Elgin/Pope John better focus on containing Carlie Kleinschmit and Taylor Dawson as the pair were huge in Wausa's win. Kleinschmit dropped a double-double on 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Dawson earned 11 points and six steals. Dawson is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed three or more in the last five games she's played dating back to last season. Another player making a difference was Olivia Barta, who had six points and nine rebounds.

Wausa smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 25 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 15 offensive boards in three consecutive matches.

Elgin/Pope John pushed their record up to 4-0 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road dating back to last season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.8 points per game. As for Wausa, they now have a winning record of 2-1.

Elgin/Pope John strolled past Wausa in their previous meeting back in December of 2023 by a score of 49-33. The rematch might be a little tougher for Elgin/Pope John since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.