DUNEDIN, New Zealand (Interstat) — S. Hoiho will host Northern Kahu Friday in a women’s professional basketball game. S. Hoiho enters with a 5-1 season record and will be looking to protect home court against a Northern Kahu team that is 2-3.

S. Hoiho’s recent form includes a 79-65 home win over Mid-North Whai. Lil Dart has been a central figure for S. Hoiho and is the player to watch. In that victory, she finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds while playing 30 minutes. Dart also had 21 points, five rebounds and seven assists in a road win at Mainland Pouakai, and she scored 20 points with six assists in a home win over Tokomanawa Queens. In the teams’ earlier meeting this season, Dart scored 19 points with three rebounds and four assists as S. Hoiho won 78-66 at Northern Kahu. Julie Wojta and Marie Bertholdt have also given S. Hoiho productive minutes, with Bertholdt scoring 25 points in the win over Mid-North Whai. S. Hoiho has also beaten Mid-North Whai 67-59 on the road and lost 87-80 at Mainland Pouakai.

Northern Kahu will counter with Megan Mullings, who has been the team’s most reliable offensive option. Mullings had 17 points and 11 rebounds in a recent 85-84 win over Mid-North Whai. She scored 25 points in a loss to Mainland Pouakai and had 17 points and 11 rebounds in the earlier win over Mid-North Whai. Erin Bollmann added 15 points and seven rebounds in the most recent victory, while Tayla Dalton contributed 13 points and 12 assists. Bollmann and Dalton are among Northern Kahu’s other contributors. Northern Kahu has also beaten Tokomanawa 75-69 on the road and lost at Mid-North Whai 81-60.

The matchup features a S. Hoiho side that has won five of six games this season and a Northern Kahu team that is 2-3. Northern Kahu’s most recent result was an 85-84 home win over Mid-North Whai, while S. Hoiho’s latest outing was a 79-65 home win over the same opponent. The earlier head-to-head result went to S. Hoiho, 78-66 at Northern Kahu. Mullings and Dalton are key for Northern Kahu, while Dart’s scoring and rebounding lead S. Hoiho. The teams are scheduled to meet again later in the season at S. Hoiho.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Northern Kahu 75, S. Hoiho 74. Interstat’s ELO system projects S. Hoiho with a 71.1 percent probability to win. S. Hoiho has been installed as the pregame favorite with a spread of -6.5, and the over/under for the game is 154.5.