Basketball Game Preview: Emerson Pirates vs. Lafayette County Cougars

The Emerson Pirates will take on the Lafayette County Cougars at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

Emerson is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Strong 72-25. Winning may never get old, but the Pirates sure are getting used to it with their sixth in a row.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Lafayette County, who bounced back after a loss on the road back in January. They were the clear victor by a 46-24 margin over Kirby two weeks ago.

Emerson better keep an eye on Atesa Johnson. She was instrumental in Lafayette County's win, dropping a double-double with 20 points and ten rebounds. That makes it three consecutive games in which Johnson has scored at least a third of Lafayette County's points. Another player making a difference was Aleyah Antwine, who posted nine points.

Lafayette County smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 12 offensive boards in three consecutive matches.

Lafayette County is on a roll lately: they've won nine of their last ten contests, which provided a nice bump to their 21-6 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 28.3 points over those games. As for Emerson, their victory was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 25-6.

Emerson lost to Lafayette County at home by a decisive 47-29 margin in their previous matchup back in January. Will Emerson have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.