Basketball Preview: Orleans Bulldogs vs. Loogootee Lions
Orleans is 2-8 against Loogootee since January of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Orleans Bulldogs will be playing at home against the Loogootee Lions at 7:30 p.m. Both have allowed few points on average, (Orleans: 22.2, Loogootee: 29.2) so any points scored will be well earned.
Last Tuesday, Orleans blew past Clarksville, posting a 64-31 victory. The Bulldogs have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won four games by 33 points or more this season.
Orleans' success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Adrian Abel led the charge by going 7 for 12 en route to 19 points plus three steals. Abel is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last eight games she's played dating back to last season. Callie Alston was another key player, going 5 for 11 en route to 11 points plus five rebounds and four steals.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Loogootee took on North Daviess on Tuesday. Loogootee fell 42-34 to North Daviess. The Lions have struggled against the Cougars recently, as the game was their third consecutive lost matchup.
Despite the defeat, Loogootee saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Alaina Diamond went 6 for 13 en route to 17 points plus eight rebounds and two steals. Diamond's evening made it three games in a row in which she has scored at least ten points.
Even though they lost, Loogootee smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with ten offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in three consecutive matches.
Orleans' win was their fourth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 4-1. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 36 points. As for Loogootee, their loss dropped their record down to 3-2.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Orleans has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 27.4 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Loogootee struggles in that department as they've been averaging 27. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Everything came up roses for Orleans against Loogootee in their previous matchup back in November of 2023, as the squad secured a 55-23 victory. Does Orleans have another victory up their sleeve, or will Loogootee turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
