Basketball Game Preview: Columbia Tigers vs. Rickards Raiders

Columbia hasn't had much luck against Rickards recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Columbia Tigers will host the Rickards Raiders at 7:30 p.m. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

It was a proper cat-fight when Columbia duked it out withLeon on Saturday. Columbia simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Leon 53-26. The Tigers have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won four contests by 21 points or more this season.

Columbia got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was JOLENA GARDNER out in front who almost dropped a double-double on 14 points and nine rebounds. GARDNER has been hot recently, having also posted two or more blocks the last four times she's played. ERIEL BAKER was another key player, going 5 for 6 on her way to 10 points in addition to five assists and three steals.

Meanwhile, Rickards waltzed into their game on Saturday with four straight wins... but they left with five. They managed a 59-54 win over the Hurricanes.

Columbia better focus on containing Amirahs Hayes and Genesis Henry as the pair were huge in Rickards' win. Hayes posted 16 points along with six boards and three steals, while Henry dropped a double-double on 15 points and 11 boards. That's the most rebounds Henry has posted since back in January of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Serenity Douze, who put up eight points and seven rebounds.

Columbia now has a winning record of 7-6. As for Rickards, their victory bumped their record up to 14-2.

Columbia lost to Rickards at home by a decisive 53-35 margin in their previous matchup back in January of 2024. Will Columbia have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more basketball content.