Norland is 4-0 against the Pioneers since December of 2014, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Wednesday. The Norland Vikings are on the road again and plays the North Miami Pioneers on February 7th. Both teams come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Thursday, it was close, but Norland sidestepped the Panthers for a 44-41 win.
Norland's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Jasmine Johnson led the charge by dropping a double-double on 17 points and 12 rebounds. Johnson is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as she's now pulled down ten or more in the last three games she's played. Shania Swan was another key contributor, scoring 12 points along with seven rebounds and six steals.
Meanwhile, it can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but North Miami had no problem doing just that on Monday. They secured a 41-35 W over the Mavericks. The win was nothing new for North Miami as they're now sitting on six straight.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead North Miami to victory, but perhaps none more so than Jadore Hayes, who almost dropped a triple-double on 11 points, 25 rebounds, and nine blocks. Hayes is crushing the rebound category: she's posted at least 12 every time she's taken the court this season. Another player making a difference was Kindal Glanton, who scored 14 points along with eight assists.
Norland's win ended a seven-game drought on the road and puts them at 7-14. As for North Miami, they pushed their record up to 11-11 with that victory, which was their seventh straight at home.
Wednesday's game is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Norland have been dynamite from deep this season, having made 38.7% of their threes per game. However, it's not like North Miami struggles in that department as they've made 47.3% of their threes this season. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Everything came up roses for Norland against the Pioneers when the teams last played back in February of 2023 as the team secured a 60-27 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Norland since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.