Basketball Game Preview: Bridgeport Bulldogs vs. Hershey Panthers

Bridgeport has gone 9-1 against Hershey recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Bridgeport Bulldogs will face off against the Hershey Panthers at 5:00 p.m. One thing working in Bridgeport's favor is that they have posted at least 55 points in their last six contests.

Bridgeport's tournament run continued when they took on Chase County on Saturday. Bridgeport put the hurt on Chase County with a sharp 62-36 win. The Bulldogs have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won ten games by 25 points or more this season.

Bridgeport's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Ella Schluterbusch, who posted 22 points and four steals. Schluterbusch is on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed three or more in the last three games she's played. Another player making a difference was Olivia Brown, who went 7 for 13 en route to 20 points and five rebounds.

Meanwhile, Hershey came up short against Perkins County on Saturday and fell 41-34. The matchup marked the Panthers' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.

Bridgeport will have to contain Aubry Hall as she made an impact in Hershey's last game. She earned eight points and five steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Kenna Bringewatt, who put up seven points and eight boards.

Even though they lost, Hershey smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in 18 consecutive games dating back to last season.

Bridgeport's win bumped their record up to 15-1. As for Hershey, they have also traveled a rocky road recently having lost three of their last four matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 9-6 record this season.

Everything came up roses for Bridgeport against Hershey when the teams last played back in January of 2024, as the team secured a 61-34 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Bridgeport since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.