Basketball Game Preview: John Carroll Catholic Rams vs. St. Edward's Pirates

The John Carroll Catholic Rams will face off against the St. Edward's Pirates at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. The teams are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: John Carroll Catholic has struggled recently with three defeats in a row, while St. Edward's will arrive with three straight victories.

Last Wednesday, John Carroll Catholic came up short against Jupiter and fell 52-39. While losing is never fun, the Rams can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 301st, while the Warriors are ranked 92nd).

John Carroll Catholic's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Samantha Rychter, who went 7 for 15 on her way to 16 points and five rebounds, and Madi Burrowes, who went 6 of 12 on her way to 14 points and five steals. Burrowes is crushing it when it comes to steals: she's grabbed at least three every time she's taken the court this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Camryn Clive, who posted four points.

Meanwhile, St. Edward's got the win against Calvary Christian Academy on Thursday by a conclusive 39-17. The Pirates have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won five contests by 22 points or more this season.

St. Edward's win was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 7-2. Those victories came thanks to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 18.7 points per game. As for John Carroll Catholic, their defeat dropped their record down to 6-4.

John Carroll Catholic strolled past St. Edward's in their previous meeting back in December of 2024 by a score of 40-24. The rematch might be a little tougher for John Carroll Catholic since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.