The Winfield-Mt. Union boys and girls basketball teams finish the Pre-Christmas portion of their schedule tonight with a road trip to Mediapolis. The WMU boys are 4-1 on the year and in the Southeast Iowa Superconference North, one game behind Hillcrest Academy in second place. The Wolves are coming off of a 56-27 home win over Columbus Tuesday. This season, WMU scores 58 points per game and gives up 40 on 41% shooting, 21% from three and 57% at the line with 36 rebounds, 16 steals, 14 assists and 15 turnovers per night. Individually, Isaac Egli and Cody Milks average 15 points per game. Max Edwards leads with 10 rebounds, Milks with five steals, and Nick Sparrow with four assists.

Mediapolis is 3-2 this year, 3-1 in the Superconference South after a 77-44 loss at Burlington Notre Dame Tuesday. The Bulldogs average 64 points per game, giving up 55 on 49% shooting, 34% from deep and 62% at the line with 25 rebounds, 16 assists, 11 steals and 13 turnovers per game. Individually, Will Luttenegger scores 20 per night with six assists and three steals, Max Griffin has 18 points and five boards per game. These teams have split their last 26 meetings, with the Wolves on top 45-36 last year. WMU head coach Klay Edwards spoke with KCII Sports this week about the keys Thursday. “(Mediapolis) is a very good 2A team, with two really good guards, Max Griffin and Will Luttenegger. We have to make sure that we are executing our game plan and finding those guys. We have to make somebody else beat us. It’s also going to be about handling their pressure. They like to pick you up full court. Be strong with the ball. Be patient.”

The Winfield-Mt. Union girls are 1-6 on the year and 0-6 in conference after a 54-30 loss to Columbus Tuesday night. This season, the Lady Wolves score 37 per game and give up 54 on 30% shooting from the floor, 17% from three and 54% at the line with 28 rebounds, 10 steals, eight assists and 26 turnovers per night. Individually, Madisen Kellogg is the leader with 16 points per game. Quin Smith pulls in nine boards and three steals, and Suttyn Schlee has three assists. Mediapolis is a perfect 5-0 this year, 3-0 in the Superconference South after hammering Notre Dame 85-30 Tuesday. The Bullettes are ranked No. 10 in Class 3A in the most recent poll from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. This year they average 67 points per game and give up 34 on 43% shooting, 40% from deep and 56% at the line with 31 rebounds, 20 assists, 16 steals and 11 turnovers per game. Individually, MEPO is led by Ellah Wagenbach’s 19 points per night. Josie Hutcheson has seven boards, Bryn Wright six assists and Amelia Grier four steals. This week, head coach Mendy McCreight talked about what she wants to see from the Wolves in the road test. “We’re going to work on things that we need to set for ourselves, not necessarily what MEPO does. We have to limit our turnovers, play with more confidence, make better offensive decisions, meet our passes, do a better job of attacking the basket and finding the open person, boxing out, grabbing rebounds and not letting the opponent have those second and third shots.”

The Bullettes have won 31 of the last 34 in the series, including a 77-34 MEPO win last season. WMU’s last win was 54-38 in 2023. You can hear all of the action live tonight on AM 1380, FM 102.5, the KCII2 App and KCIIradio.com, beginning with the Area Game of the Week Pregame Show at 5:30p.m., tip of the girls game at six with the boys to follow from Bud McLearn Court at Mediapolis High School.