Arickaree is 6-0 against Bethune since December of 2014, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Arickaree Bison on the road again and play against the Bethune Bobcats at 6:00 p.m. on January 19th. Both teams come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Even though Arickaree has not done well against Flagler recently (they were 0-5 in their previous five matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Saturday. Arickaree snuck past Flagler with a 47-43 win.
Arickaree's success was spearheaded by the efforts of JANIYA SMITH, who scored 21 points along with seven rebounds and four steals, and RAEYA SCHROCK, who scored 19 points along with six rebounds and five steals. SMITH also posted two blocks for the first time this season. The team also got some help courtesy of LILLY MONAT, who scored three points along with three steals.
Meanwhile, Bethune had to endure a three-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They managed a 36-31 victory over Hanover on Friday. The victory was just what Bethune needed coming off of a 50-13 loss in their prior game.
Bethune's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Madilyn Powell, who scored ten points along with two steals. Powell is absolutely dominating the steal category: she's posted at least two every time she's taken the court this season. Paulina Reyes was another key contributor, scoring 11 points along with six rebounds and three steals.
Arickaree is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five matches, which provided a nice bump to their 7-4 record this season. As for Bethune, they now have a winning record of 4-3.
Keep an eye on the arc in Friday's match: Arickaree have been dynamite from deep this season, having only made 33.3% of their threes per game. It's a different story for Bethune, though, as they've only made 24.1% of their threes per game this season. Given Arickaree's sizeable advantage in that area, Bethune will need to find a way to close that gap.
Everything came up roses for Arickaree against Bethune in their previous meeting back in January of 2023 as the team secured a 53-23 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Arickaree since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
