Bucklin is 9-1 against Ashland since February of 2020 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Bucklin Red Aces will welcome the Ashland Blue Jays at 6:00 p.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Bucklin comes in on 16 and Ashland on five.
Bucklin is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Saturday. They took their matchup with ease, bagging a 67-25 victory over Cunningham. The Red Aces' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Emmy Kirk
| 03/01/25 vs Cunningham | 17 |
| 02/21/25 @ Satanta | 19 |
| 02/14/25 @ Macksville | 16 |
| 02/11/25 vs Ashland | 23 |
Emmy Kirk continued her habit of posting crazy stat lines, almost dropping a double-double with 17 points and nine assists. Her big performance that morning made it four games in a row in which she has scored at least 16 points. Another player making a difference was Karlee Evans, who shot 60% from the field to rack up 15 points and six boards.
They weren't the only ones working in the assist department: Bucklin was working as a unit and finished the game with 20 assists. That's the most assists they've posted since back in January of 2024.
Meanwhile, Ashland strolled past Moscow with points to spare on Saturday, taking the game 43-27.
Bucklin better keep an eye on Jaya Milburn. She was instrumental in Ashland's win, dropping a double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Milburn is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in each of the last five games she's played. Emilia Ceniceros was another key player, putting up six points and five boards.
Ashland's win was their tenth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-9. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.1 points over those games. As for Bucklin, their victory bumped their record up to 18-3.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Bucklin has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 28.7 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Ashland struggles in that department as they've been averaging 32.7 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Everything came up roses for Bucklin against Ashland in their previous matchup back in February, as the team secured a 58-30 win. In that contest, Bucklin amassed a halftime lead of 31-7, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.
