The Vinyl BC and Laces BC face each other on Friday for their second encounter in the Unrivaled 3x3 league. The Laces beat the Vinyl 83-79 on Jan. 24.
The upcoming matchup is scheduled to tip off at 7:15 p.m. EST at Wayfair Arena in Miami and will be televised nationally on TNT.
Vinyl BC vs Laces BC Preview and Prediction
Led by Arike Ogunbowale, the Vinyl Basketball Club debuted in the league with back-to-back wins followed by five straight losses. Since then, they've gone back-and-forth and are fourth in the six-team league, with a 3-6 record.
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The Vinyl BC are coming off a 79-72 loss to the Phantom BC on Saturday, with Arike Ogunbowale listed out. Rhyne Howard led their losing effort with 28 points, four rebounds, one assist and three steals, while Jordin Canada added a double-double staline of 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
Meanwhile, the Laces, led by Alyssa Thomas, kicked off their campaign with four straight wins. They are on a two-time losing streak, though, and are third in the standings, with a 5-4 record.
The Laces are coming off a 65-49 loss to the Mist BC on Monday in the absence of Tiffany Hayes, Jackie Young and Kate Martin. Kayla McBride led their losing effort with 19 points, five rebounds, an assist and two steals.
Vinyl BC vs Laces BC predicted starting lineups
The Vinyl are expected to use a starting lineup of Arike Ogubowale (G), Rhyne Howard (G/F) and Dearica Hamby (F). While Ogunbowale has remained out for the last two games, she's expected to return to action on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Laces are expected to use a starting lineup of Alyssa Thomas (F), Kayla McBride (G) and Natisha Hiedeman (G).
Editor's note: These are the predicted lineups and could change based on the availability of players.
Vinyl BC vs Laces BC prediction
Like their previous encounter, the upcoming matchup is expected to be a tight battle. However, the Vinyl are slightly favoured to clinch the win and even out their season series against the Laces at 1-1.
