Preview: Weatherford Coyotes at McLennan Highlanders

WEATHERFORD, Texas (Interstat) — A stark contrast in trajectories will be on display Wednesday night when the surging McLennan Highlanders host the struggling Weatherford Coyotes in a men’s junior college basketball game.

The Highlanders (12-1) enter the contest as one of the region’s hottest teams, having won 11 consecutive games since their lone loss on Nov. 20. Their most recent outing was a dominant 76-57 road victory over Southwestern Christian on Feb. 4, led by Joe Burgess’ near double-double of 8 points and 10 rebounds in just 12 minutes.

McLennan’s defense has been formidable, holding opponents to an average of 57.2 points during their winning streak. Burgess has been a consistent force on the boards, averaging 8.8 rebounds over his last four appearances.

Conversely, the Coyotes (7-12) look to halt a three-game skid, including a 73-58 home loss to Collin County on Saturday. Weatherford’s season has been marked by narrow defeats, with four of their last six losses coming by single digits.

The Coyotes will lean on standout guard Andre Bennett, who has provided explosive scoring despite the team’s recent results. Bennett averaged 24 points and 8 rebounds in two games last week, including a 23-point performance in a close overtime loss to Grayson on Feb. 2.

History favors the home team. In the season’s first meeting on Jan. 10, McLennan grinded out a 59-50 victory at Weatherford, holding the Coyotes to their second-lowest scoring output of the season.

For Weatherford to spring the upset, they must find offensive consistency beyond Bennett and solve McLennan’s stifling defense. The Highlanders aim to continue their commanding run through conference play by protecting their home court and exploiting their significant advantage in record and momentum.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST at The Highlands Center on the McLennan campus.