The Lawrence-Nelson Raiders will head out to face off against the McCool Junction Mustangs at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Lawrence-Nelson is currently enjoying a perfect season and no doubt wants to keep things rolling.
If Lawrence-Nelson beats McCool Junction with 54 points on Tuesday, it's going to be the team's new lucky number: they've won their past two matchups with that exact score. The Raiders walked away with a 54-41 win over Hi-Line [Eustis-Farnam/Elwood] on Tuesday. Given the Raiders' advantage in MaxPreps' Nebraska basketball rankings (they are ranked 36th, while Hi-Line [Eustis-Farnam/Elwood] are ranked 158th) , the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Wyatt Frey
| 12/30/25 vs Hi-Line [Eustis-Farnam/Elwood] | 67% |
| 12/18/25 vs Shelton | 54% |
| 12/13/25 @ Bruning-Davenport/Shickley | 53% |
Lawrence-Nelson found their leader in sophomore Wyatt Frey, who went 10-for-15 on his way to 27 points and seven rebounds. Frey is also on a roll when it comes to shooting accuracy, as he's posted one of at least 53% in the last three games he's played. Jace Hoelting was another key player, putting up 11 points and five steals.
Meanwhile, even if it wasn't a dominant performance, McCool Junction beat H&H 60-56 on Saturday.
Lawrence-Nelson better keep an eye on Carson McDonald. He was instrumental in McCool Junction's win, dropping a double-double with 22 points and ten boards. That makes it three consecutive games in which McDonald has scored at least a third of the Mustangs' points. The team also got some help courtesy of Ja Soukup, who posted seven points in addition to seven rebounds and three steals.
McCool Junction smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 22 offensive boards. That's the most offensive rebounds they've posted since back in February of 2025.
Lawrence-Nelson's record now sits at 6-0. As for McCool Junction, their record is now 6-4.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Lawrence-Nelson has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 35.8 boards per game. However, it's not like McCool Junction struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.1 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Lawrence-Nelson lost to McCool Junction on the road by a decisive 63-46 margin in their previous meeting back in January of 2025. Can the Raiders avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
