Preview: Middle Tennessee Christian Cougars vs. Columbia Academy Bulldogs
Middle Tennessee Christian is 7-0 against Columbia Academy since February of 2017, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Tuesday. The Middle Tennessee Christian Cougars will be playing in front of their home fans against the Columbia Academy Bulldogs at 6:00 p.m. Given that both teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this game.
After soaring to a 36-point win in their last game, Middle Tennessee Christian came back down to earth on Saturday. They fell just short of Baylor by a score of 48-45. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss Middle Tennessee Christian has suffered yet this season.
Despite their loss, Middle Tennessee Christian saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Anna clay Shirley, who scored 18 points, was perhaps the best of all. The team also got some help courtesy of Riley Smith, who scored nine points along with six rebounds and three steals.
Columbia Academy suffered their biggest loss yet this season on Friday. They were beaten by Providence Christian Academy 59-29. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Columbia Academy has scored all season.
Despite the loss, Columbia Academy saw an underclassman step up: Reese Shirley scored 13 points along with two steals. Shirley is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last five games she's played.
Middle Tennessee Christian now has a losing record at 8-9. As for Columbia Academy, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-11.
Keep an eye on the arc in Tuesday's contest: Middle Tennessee Christian have made nailing deep shots look easy this year this season, having only averaged 5.3 threes per game. It's a different story for Columbia Academy, though, as they've been averaging only 4.3 threes per game. Given Middle Tennessee Christian's sizeable advantage in that area, Columbia Academy will need to find a way to close that gap.
Everything went Middle Tennessee Christian's way against Columbia Academy when the teams last played back in December of 2023 as Middle Tennessee Christian made off with a 69-43 victory. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Shirley, who scored 24 points along with six rebounds. Now that she's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Middle Tennessee Christian still be able to contain him? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
