Morenci has been on the road for five straight, but on Monday they'll finally head home. They will be home for the holidays to greet the Benson Bobcats at 5:30 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Morenci scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Tuesday. They blew past Santa Rita, posting a 57-23 victory on the road. That looming 57-23 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for Morenci yet this season.
Elena Leonard and Tiara Jones were among the main playmakers for Morenci as the former scored 13 points along with four steals and the latter scored ten points along with nine rebounds. Those 13 points set a new season-high mark for her. Another player making a difference was Mayeli Salazar, who scored 11 points.
Meanwhile, Benson entered their tilt with Baboquivari with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. Benson strolled past Baboquivari with points to spare on Saturday, taking the game 60-43.
Benson's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Jamey Darwin, who dropped a double-double on 12 points and ten rebounds, and Kaylei Taylor, who dropped a double-double on 19 points and ten rebounds. The match was Taylor's third in a row with at least ten points. Jordan Rone was another key contributor, scoring two points along with ten rebounds.
Morenci's victory bumped their record up to 4-5. As for Benson, they are on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last nine matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 10-3 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Morenci have been smashing the glass this season, having only averaged 32.3 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Benson struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 38.8 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Morenci suffered a grim 63-37 defeat to Benson in their previous meeting back in January. Thankfully for Morenci, Ally Crouse (who scored 29 points along with nine rebounds) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
