While the Conway Bears couldn't quite beat the Niangua Cardinals on Friday, the three-point margin was a huge improvement compared to the 36-point loss they were dealt last Thursday. Conway fell just short of Niangua by a score of 77-74. Conway has struggled against Niangua recently, as their matchup on Friday was their fourth consecutive lost matchup.
Niangua's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Ethan Scheetz, who scored 26 points along with five rebounds and four steals. Scheetz hasn't dropped below two steals for four straight games. The team also got some help courtesy of Clayton Henderson, who scored 17 points along with nine rebounds and two steals.
Conway has traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost six of their last seven games, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-11 record this season. As for Niangua, their victory was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 14-2.
The pair will face off at 5:30 p.m. on January 30th without much rest after finishing up games yesterday. Hopefully Niangua is not getting complacent, as they presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Conway in Missouri (Niangua is ranked 94th, while Conway is ranked 321st). As for Niangua, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Conway at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Conway and Niangua are at an even 4-4 over their past eight head-to-heads.
