Eden Prairie and Lakeville North both serve as prime examples of how wins can be tough to come by when squaring off with the best teams the state of Minnesota has to offer. On Friday, the programs collide in our Top Game of the Week.
Eden Prairie, ranked No. 9 in Class 4A by Minnesota Basketball News from Dec. 11, didn't hesitate in scheduling some of the most challenging teams in the state this season.
While the Eagles (3-3, 0-0) have a .500 record, two of its losses came against ranked opponents, as No. 4-4A Park Center (75-71 on Nov. 26) and No. 7-4A Centennial (65-62 on Nov. 30) defeated the Eagles in close contests. Another potential Class 4A contender, Chaska, gave Eden Prairie its most recent loss, a 70-57 defeat on Dec. 13.
The Eagles, however, have also won against tough competition, as the Eagles defeated No. 10-4A Maple Grove 68-65 on Nov. 23 at the Breakdown Tip Off Classic in Hopkins.
With offense the key to their success, the Eagles are a combined 1-3 in games where they've scored less than 75 points. Natalie Mazurek, a South Dakota commit, averages a team-high 13.7 points per game, making nearly 58% of her shots. Nneka Obiazor, who scored her 1,000th career point earlier this season, averages 12.2 points per game.
Eden Prairie's defense will need to keep an eye on Lakeville North's (18-13, 0-0) Lauren Jensen, a standout senior guard.
Jensen, an Iowa commit, has shown the ability to be one of the top scorers in the state, averaging 24.7 points per game, including a season-high 29 points in an 84-64 win over Prior Lake on Dec. 13.
Like the Eagles, Lakeville North (3-3, 1-1) has also faced elite competition, going .500 against state-ranked teams. The Panthers beat No. 7-4A Centennial 65-61 on Nov. 26 before losing 89-52 to No. 2-4A Wayzata four days later.