Basketball Game Preview: Minden Whippets vs. Elm Creek Buffaloes + Official Tickets

The Minden Whippets will venture away from home to take on the Elm Creek Buffaloes at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday.

Minden is headed into the matchup out to prove that what happened against Central City on Tuesday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Whippets might have been a little too into the holiday spirit, gifting the Bison an easy 54-29 win. While losing is never fun, the Whippets can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Nebraska basketball rankings (they are ranked 56th, while the Bison are ranked sixth).

Minden's defeat came about despite a quality game from Myla Emery, who dropped a double-double with 16 points and 11 boards. Emery's big performance that evening made it three games in a row in which she has scored at least 16 points. KayLynn Jorgensen also deserves some recognition as she posted her first block of the season.

Meanwhile, Elm Creek put another one in the bag on Saturday to keep their perfect season alive. They strolled past Ansley/Litchfield with points to spare, taking the game 49-34. Those 49 points were actually the fewest the Buffaloes have put up all season, but given the result they're probably not too concerned.

Elm Creek's win came from a few key players Minden will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Chelsea Kottich, who went 7-for-16 en route to 15 points and five rebounds. Kottich is crushing it when it comes to points: she's scored at least 15 every time she's taken the court this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Teagan McDaniel, who shot 46% from the field on her way to 14 points and three steals.

Minden suffered their first home loss, dropping their record down to 3-2. As for Elm Creek, their victory bumped their record up to 5-0.

Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Minden has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 24.4 boards per game. However, it's not like Elm Creek struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 31 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.

Minden took their win against Elm Creek in their previous matchup back in December of 2024 by a conclusive 71-50 score. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was the Buffaloes' Ashley Bauer, who went 6-for-14 to rack up 22 points. Now that she won't be playing on Thursday, will it be easier for the Whippets to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.