Hardee is 1-9 against DeSoto County since January of 2020 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Hardee Wildcats will square off against the DeSoto County Bulldogs at 7:00 p.m. Hardee will be looking to extend their current three-game winning streak.
Back in December of 2024, Hardee got the win against Northeast by a conclusive 53-28. The Wildcats have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won three matchups by 25 points or more this season.
| 12/17/24 @ Northeast | 26 |
| 01/16/24 @ Frostproof | 18 |
| 01/26/24 @ Fort Meade | 16 |
| 12/13/24 vs Candlelight Christian Academy | 16 |
| 12/12/24 vs DeSoto County | 15 |
Hardee's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Tylia Graham, who went 13 of 22 on her way to 26 points in addition to seven steals and six boards. Those 26 points gave Graham a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Alexandra Jackson, who almost dropped a triple-double on 14 points, 15 boards, and nine steals.
Hardee smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 22 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in nine consecutive contests dating back to last season.
Meanwhile, DeSoto County was able to grind out a solid victory over Bradenton Christian on Friday, taking the game 55-43. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Bulldogs.
Hardee better keep an eye on Yahri Tyler. She was instrumental in DeSoto County's win, going 10 of 18 on her way to 27 points along with eight rebounds and four steals. That makes it five consecutive games in which Tyler has scored at least a third of DeSoto County's points. The team also got some help courtesy of Cherish Wiggins, who posted ten points in addition to eight assists and eight boards.
The win got Hardee back to even at 4-4. As for DeSoto County, their victory bumped their record up to 11-2.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Hardee has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 35.5 boards per game. However, it's not like DeSoto County struggles in that department as they've been averaging 35.6 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Hardee lost to DeSoto County on the road by a decisive 49-32 margin when the teams last played back in December of 2024. Can Hardee avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
