Lyons-Decatur Northeast hasn't had much luck against Howells-Dodge recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Cougars will be home for the holidays to greet the Jaguars at 6:00 p.m. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
It was a proper cat-fight when Lyons-Decatur Northeast faced off against Cedar Bluffs on Tuesday. The Cougars strolled past the Wildcats with points to spare, taking the game 38-24. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Cougars.

Lexus Petersen
| 12/16/25 @ Cedar Bluffs | 4 |
| 01/25/25 vs Stanton | 3 |
| 01/24/25 vs Mead | 3 |
| 12/28/24 vs Riverside | 2 |
| 12/17/24 vs Cedar Bluffs | 2 |
Lyons-Decatur Northeast's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Lexus Petersen, who posted eight points in addition to seven boards and four steals. Those four steals gave Petersen a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Linden Anderson, who went 5-for-11 on her way to 11 points and four steals.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Howells-Dodge, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Saturday. They blew past West Point-Beemer 59-22 on Tuesday. The Jaguars have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won three contests by 31 points or more this season.
Howells-Dodge's win came from a few key players Lyons-Decatur Northeast will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Brynn Throener, who shot 55% from the field en route to 15 points along with five rebounds and three steals. Thanks to that strong game, she now owns an excellent 46.9% field goal percentage. Kylie Brichacek was another key player, going 5-for-8 to rack up 15 points.
Howells-Dodge was working as a unit and finished the game with 16 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as West Point-Beemer only posted six.
Lyons-Decatur Northeast picked up their first road win, bumping their record up to 2-3. As for Howells-Dodge, their victory bumped their record up to 4-1.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Lyons-Decatur Northeast has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 27.2 boards per game. However, it's not like Howells-Dodge struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 24 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Lyons-Decatur Northeast was dealt a bruising 54-25 defeat at the hands of Howells-Dodge in their previous matchup back in February. Will the Cougars have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other basketball content.