Basketball Game Preview: Smith Center Redmen vs. Russell Broncos

The Smith Center Redmen will square off against the Russell Broncos at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: both posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Russell is hoping to do what Ellis couldn't on Friday: put an end to Smith Center's winning streak, which now stands at three games. Smith Center came out on top against Ellis by a score of 57-45.

Smith Center's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Mason Enochs, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and 12 rebounds. Enochs has been hot recently, having posted nine or more boards the last three times he's played. Daveyon Orr was another key player, going 5 of 8 on his way to 14 points and seven rebounds.

Smith Center was working as a unit and finished the game with 15 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.

Meanwhile, Russell had to endure a four-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They blew past Phillipsburg 70-39 on Friday. With that win, the Broncos brought their scoring average up to 52 points per game.

Russell's win came from a few key players Smith Center will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Trey Carlson, who posted 14 points and seven rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Jake Mooney, who went 6 of 8 from beyond the arc on his way to 18 points.

Smith Center pushed their record up to 3-4 with the victory, which was their fifth straight on the road dating back to last season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.6 points per game. As for Russell, their win bumped their record up to 3-4.

Smith Center skirted past Russell 46-44 in their previous meeting back in February of 2024. Will Smith Center repeat their success, or does Russell have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.