Basketball Game Preview: Hawkins Hawks vs. McLeod Longhorns

Hawkins and McLeod are an even 5-5 against one another since February of 2015, but not for long. The Hawkins Hawks are taking a road trip to take on the McLeod Longhorns at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Hawkins is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last 16 games.

Last Friday, Hawkins made easy work of Ore City and carried off a 58-32 win. The Hawks have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 15 games by 24 points or more this season.

Brayden Givens

Field Goal Percentage

02/07/25 vs Ore City	50%
02/04/25 vs Linden-Kildare	60%
01/31/25 @ Big Sandy	50%
01/28/25 vs Harleton	58%
01/21/25 @ Union Grove	75%
+ 4 more games

Brayden Givens was his usual excellent self, going 7 of 14 to rack up 20 points along with five boards and four steals. He is also on a roll when it comes to shooting accuracy, as he's posted one of at least 45% in the last nine games he's played. Another player making a difference was Derek Hollman, who posted ten points in addition to seven rebounds and three blocks.

Hawkins smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive rebounds in seven consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, McLeod ended up a good deal behind Union Grove on Friday and lost 54-38. The Longhorns have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Hawkins' victory was their 14th straight at home, which pushed their record up to 28-2. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 66.5 points over those games. As for McLeod, their loss dropped their record down to 13-22.

Everything came up roses for Hawkins against McLeod in their previous meeting back in January, as the team secured a 59-32 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Hawkins since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.