Neligh-Oakdale has enjoyed a two-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will take on the Madison Dragons at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are closely ranked in Nebraska (Neligh-Oakdale is ranked 231st, while the Dragons are ranked 213th).
Neligh-Oakdale struggled with offensive rebounds on Saturday (the Knights had eight more) and sadly the final score reflected it. Neligh-Oakdale took a 60-47 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Knights.
The losing side was boosted by Hailey Horstmann, who scored 23 points along with three steals and two blocks. As a matter of fact, that's the most points she has scored all season. The team also got some help courtesy of Mallory Belitz, who scored nine points along with six assists.
Meanwhile, Madison suffered a rough 58-37 defeat at the hands of the Tigers on Monday. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Madison in their matchups with the Tigers: they've now lost seven in a row.
Despite the loss, Madison saw an underclassman step up: Salena Duinkerken scored 14 points along with six rebounds and three steals. That was a full 37.8% of Madison's points, marking the fourth time in a row she's earned more than a third of the team's points. Wedy Atanacio was another key contributor, scoring six points.
Neligh-Oakdale has traveled a rocky road recently having lost eight of their last nine contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-13 record this season. As for Madison, their loss dropped their record down to 6-10.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Neligh-Oakdale have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 23 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Madison struggles in that department as they've been averaging 25.7 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Neligh-Oakdale barely slipped by the Dragons in their previous meeting back in January of 2023, winning 31-30. The rematch might be a little tougher for Neligh-Oakdale since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
