Smith Center hasn't had much luck against Russell recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Smith Center Redmen will face off against the Russell Broncos at 3:00 p.m.
Last Saturday, Smith Center came up short against Oakley and fell 48-36. The Redmen have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
| 01/18/25 vs Oakley | 4 |
| 01/14/25 vs Russell | 3 |
| 01/10/25 @ Ellis | 3 |
| 12/20/24 @ Oakley | 7 |
| 12/17/24 vs Washington County | 2 |
Smith Center's defeat shouldn't obscure the performances of Brant Wilson, who went 5 of 12 en route to 11 points and four steals, and Mason Enochs, who dropped a double-double on ten points and 13 rebounds. Enochs is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as he's now grabbed two or more in the last five games he's played.
Meanwhile, Russell strolled past Smith Center with points to spare on Tuesday, taking the game 63-48. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Broncos.
Russell's win came from a few key players Smith Center will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Ayden Wagner, who went 6 for 10 on his way to 15 points and seven boards. That's the most rebounds he has posted since back in December of 2023. Another player making a difference was Sam Thielen, who went 5 of 8 en route to 13 points and four steals.
Russell smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 20 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in five consecutive matchups.
Smith Center's loss dropped their record down to 3-6. As for Russell, the win got them back to even at 4-4.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Smith Center has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 28.1 boards per game. However, it's not like Russell struggles in that department as they've been averaging 30 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Smith Center lost to Russell on the road by a decisive 63-48 margin when the teams last played on Tuesday. Can Smith Center avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
