Basketball Game Preview: Grace Christian Academy Lions vs. Middle Tennessee Christian Cougars

Grace Christian Academy and Middle Tennessee Christian are an even 5-5 against one another since January of 2020, but not for long. A feisty cat fight will be fought when the Grace Christian Academy Lions duke it out with the Middle Tennessee Christian Cougars at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. One thing working in Grace Christian Academy's favor is that they have posted at least 55 points in their last five contests.

Grace Christian Academy fought the good fight in their overtime match against Columbia Academy last Friday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell to the Bulldogs 72-66. The Lions haven't had much luck with the Bulldogs recently, as the team's come up short the last five times they've met.

Grace Christian Academy's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Ty Gibbs, who went 9 of 15 en route to 20 points and seven rebounds, and Ford Deshazo, who went 7 of 17 on his way to 16 points along with five boards and three blocks. The game was Gibbs' third in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Cutler Stephens, who posted ten points.

Even though they lost, Grace Christian Academy was working as a unit and finished the game with 15 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Columbia Academy only racked up eight assists.

Meanwhile, Middle Tennessee Christian was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their sixth straight defeat. They were beaten by Providence Christian Academy 103-26. While losing is never fun, the Cougars can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Tennessee basketball rankings (they are ranked 295th, while the LIONS are ranked fourth).

Grace Christian Academy's record now sits at 7-7. As for Middle Tennessee Christian, their record is now 2-12.

Grace Christian Academy beat Middle Tennessee Christian 62-53 in their previous meeting back in February of 2024. Will Grace Christian Academy repeat their success, or does Middle Tennessee Christian have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.