McDowell has won eight straight games at home, while Alexander Central has won eight straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Friday. The Titans will welcome the Cougars at 6:30 p.m. McDowell has been getting the ball to fall more lately as they've increased their point totals each of their last four games.
McDowell will bounce into Friday's contest after beating Freedom, who they had gone 2-7 against in their nine prior meetings. The Titans blew past the Patriots 73-43 on Wednesday. The Titans have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won 15 matchups by 20 points or more this season.
McDowell relied on the efforts of Khloe Joyner, who posted 25 points, and Sanai Corpening, who earned 20 points. That makes it 11 consecutive games in which Joyner has scored at least a third of the Titans' points. Payton Carter was another key player, putting up 11 points.
Meanwhile, it may have taken double overtime to finish the job, but Alexander Central ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Watauga, sneaking past 63-61. The final result isn't all that surprising considering the Cougars' considerable advantage in MaxPreps' North Carolina basketball rankings (they are ranked 29th, while the Pioneers are ranked 146th).
McDowell better keep an eye on Malayah Adams. She was instrumental in Alexander Central's win, posting 23 points in addition to five rebounds and four steals. Those 23 points gave Adams a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Addie Jack, who put up 11 points along with six boards and five steals.
Alexander Central smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in 26 consecutive games dating back to last season.
McDowell's victory bumped their record up to 20-5. As for Alexander Central, their win bumped their record up to 22-2.
Some high-performance offense is likely on the agenda as the two teams are some of the highest-scoring teams around. McDowell hasn't had any problem running up the score this season, having averaged 59.9 points per game. However, it's not like Alexander Central struggles in that department as they've been averaging 60.5 points. With both teams so easily able to put up points, the only question left is who can put up more.
McDowell couldn't quite get it done against Alexander Central in their previous matchup two weeks ago as they fell 60-53. Will the Titans 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.