The Pretty Prairie Bulldogs will head out on the road to face off against the Bucklin Red Aces at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Both teams come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Tuesday, Pretty Prairie was able to grind out a solid victory over Oxford, taking the game 44-37. Given Pretty Prairie's advantage in MaxPreps' Kansas basketball rankings (they are ranked 78th, while Oxford is ranked 277th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Bucklin has made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won four games by 21 points or more this season. They blew past Kiowa County 59-15 at home. For those curious, yes, that was the biggest victory Bucklin has managed all season.
Bucklin's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Emmerson Kirk led the charge by scoring 17 points along with nine steals. Kirk is absolutely dominating the steal category: she's posted at least two every time she's taken the court this season. Sydnie Jones was another key contributor, scoring 17 points along with seven rebounds and six steals.
Pretty Prairie's victory was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 4-1. Bucklin's record now sits at 4-1.
Pretty Prairie lost to Bucklin on the road by a decisive 64-49 margin in their previous matchup back in December of 2014. Can Pretty Prairie avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
