Bucklin is 9-1 against Ashland since December of 2018 and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Monday. The Bucklin Red Aces will be taking part in a tournament against the Ashland Blue Jays at 4:45 p.m. Bucklin is coming into the contest hot, having won their last six games.
Bucklin is headed into the match after thoroughly thrashing Minneola: they outscored them in every quarter. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that Bucklin blew Minneola out of the water with a 58-25 final score. With that victory, the Red Aces brought their scoring average up to 50.6 points per game.
| 01/21/25 @ Minneola | 26 |
| 01/17/25 vs Meade | 20 |
| 01/14/25 @ South Central | 20 |
| 01/11/25 vs Attica | 18 |
| 01/07/25 @ Kiowa County | 22 |
Emmy Kirk was her usual excellent self, going 10 for 18 en route to 26 points and six steals. Her evening made it five games in a row in which she has scored at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Isabel Bowman, who went 7 of 12 on her way to 15 points and three steals.
Meanwhile, it may have taken overtime to finish the job, but Ashland ultimately got the result they hoped for on Tuesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Kiowa County, sneaking past 51-49. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Blue Jays have posted since February 23, 2024.
Ashland's win came from a few key players Bucklin will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Jaya Milburn, who almost dropped a double-double on 19 points and nine boards. That makes it three consecutive games in which she has scored at least a third of Ashland's points. Biannca Ceniceros was another key player, almost dropping a double-double on 14 points and nine rebounds.
Ashland smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 11 offensive rebounds in four consecutive games.
Ashland's victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 6-4. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 54.4 points per game. As for Bucklin, their win bumped their record up to 8-3.
Everything came up roses for Bucklin against Ashland in their previous matchup back in February of 2024, as the squad secured a 74-38 victory. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Ashland's Lily Mcphail, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and ten boards. Now that she won't be playing on Monday, will it be easier for Bucklin to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
