Elmira is 9-1 against the Little Red since December of 2016, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Elmira Express will be playing at home against the Ithaca Little Red at 7:15 p.m. Given that both teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this game.
Last Wednesday, it was a hard-fought matchup, but Elmira had to settle for a 39-37 loss against the Cardinals. Elmira has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Elmira's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Meya Smith, who scored eight points along with 14 rebounds and two blocks, and Mariah Matias who dropped a double-double on 12 points and 14 rebounds. Matias hasn't dropped below ten rebounds for 12 straight games. Addison Taft was another key contributor, scoring three points along with five rebounds and four steals.
Meanwhile, this season hasn't been kind to Ithaca, who are still winless after their fourth contest. They were dealt a 76-36 defeat at the hands of Horseheads back in January.
Elmira dropped their record down to 7-8 with that defeat, which was their third straight on the road. Those losses can't be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 53.0 points per game. As for Ithaca, their loss dropped their record down to 0-4.
Everything came up roses for Elmira against the Little Red when the teams last played back in January as the team secured a 58-29 victory. Will Elmira repeat their success, or do the Little Red have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
