Preview: Hartnell Panthers at Foothill Owls

LOS ALTOS HILLS, Calif. (Interstat) — A stark contrast in fortunes will be on display Wednesday night when the winless Hartnell Panthers visit the surging Foothill Owls in a California Community College men’s basketball matchup.

The Panthers (0-16) enter the contest reeling from one of their most lopsided defeats of a difficult season, a 102-35 home loss to West Valley last Friday. That result extended a pattern of struggles for Hartnell, which has lost its 16 games by an average margin of 26.4 points. The team has not scored more than 75 points in any game this season and has been held under 40 points three times, including in two of its last three outings.

Conversely, the Owls (13-6) have established themselves as a potent offensive squad, averaging 80.2 points per game. They are coming off a 74-85 road loss to San Jose on Jan. 14, which snapped a two-game win streak. Prior to that, Foothill showcased its firepower with a 114-69 demolition of Cuesta in December and a 93-51 victory over Gavilan earlier this month. Their six losses have been by an average of just 8.3 points, with two coming in overtime.

This will be the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams. They are scheduled to meet again at Hartnell on Feb. 13.

For Hartnell, the search for its first win continues against a daunting schedule. The Panthers’ next opportunity after Wednesday comes on the road at Gavilan on Friday. Foothill, looking to solidify its standing, will continue a homestand against Monterey Peninsula on Friday.

The game tips off at 7 p.m. PST at Foothill College.