Mead hasn't had much luck against Howells-Dodge recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Mead Raiders will be playing at home against the Howells-Dodge Jaguars at 2:00 p.m. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with 33 losses in a row dating back to last season, Mead turned things around against Boys Town on Thursday. They secured a 42-36 W over the Cowboys. The Raiders' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Mead's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Riley Koranda led the charge by putting up 13 points and three steals. Another player making a difference was Elizabeth Brennan, who posted ten points.
Mead was working as a unit and finished the game with ten assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Howells-Dodge strolled past Wisner-Pilger with points to spare on Friday, taking the game 46-31. Given the Jaguars' advantage in MaxPreps' Nebraska basketball rankings (they are ranked 50th, while the Gators are ranked 138th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Howells-Dodge's win came from a few key players Mead will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Kenadie Throener, who went 6 of 9 en route to 15 points. That's the most points she has posted since back in January of 2024. Peyten Becker was another key player, going 5 for 8 on her way to 11 points.
Howells-Dodge's win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-5. The wins came thanks to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 29.2 points per game. As for Mead, their victory ended a 15-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 1-11.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Mead has been crashing the rebounds this season, having averaged 24.2 boards per game. However, it's not like Howells-Dodge struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28.2 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Mead was taken down by Howells-Dodge 65-20 in their previous matchup back in January of 2023. That game was all but decided by halftime, at which point Mead was down 38-10.
