Basketball Game Preview: Rowan County Vikings vs. Russell Red Devils

Rowan County hasn't had much luck against Russell recently, but that could start to change on Wednesday. The Vikings will face off against the Red Devils at 7:30 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

On Monday, Rowan County didn't have too much breathing room in their game against Fleming County, but they still walked away with a 54-50 win. The victory continues a trend for the Vikings in their matchups with the Panthers: they've now won four in a row.

Meanwhile, Russell faced Boyd County in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Monday. The Red Devils took down the Lions 67-52. 67 seems to be a good number for the Red Devils as the squad scooped up a win with the same number of points in their previous game.

Rowan County better keep an eye on Kennedy Darnell. She was instrumental in Russell's win, dropping a double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Darnell is also on a roll when it comes to shooting accuracy, as she's posted one of at least 50% in the last four games she's played. Kamryn Fleming was another key player, shooting 56% from the field en route to 13 points and five boards.

Rowan County's record is now 14-11. As for Russell, their record now sits at 20-7.

Rowan County came up short against Russell in their previous matchup back in December of 2025, falling 58-52. Can the Vikings avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.