The Westerville Central varsity basketball team (Westerville, OH) will host Linsly (Wheeling, WV) for a non-conference game today at 8 PM.

Game Details:

• Matchup: Linsly vs. Westerville Central
• Date: Saturday, January 18, 2025
• Time: 8:00 PM
• Location: Westerville Central High School, Westerville, OH
• Live stream: Watch Here
• Live stream: Watch Here

Basketball Team Breakdown: Linsly vs. Westerville Central

As the basketball season progresses, the Linsly and Westerville Central teams are showing mixed results. Below, we dive into the statistics and key comparisons between the two schools from the 2024-2025 season to offer insights into their performances so far.

Overall Record and Performance

Linsly (24-25)

• Record: 4-7
• Win Percentage: 36.4%
• Points For: 676
• Points Against: 751
• Home Record: 2-0
• Away Record: 2-2
• Neutral Record: 0-5

Linsly has had a solid home performance, maintaining an undefeated record at home (2-0), but their struggles away and in neutral locations (0-5) have hindered their overall success. Despite these challenges, they still manage to put up decent points, averaging 61.5 per game.

Westerville Central (24-25)

• Record: 4-9
• Win Percentage: 30.8%
• Points For: 699
• Points Against: 763
• Conference Record: 3-2
• Non-Conference Record: 1-7
• Home Record: 1-5
• Away Record: 3-4

Westerville Central has been facing a tough season, with a win percentage lower than Linsly’s. However, their conference record (3-2) indicates that they perform slightly better against familiar opponents. Despite averaging just 53.8 points per game, Westerville Central’s scoring has been relatively consistent across quarters, although they struggle in closing out games, especially in the fourth quarter (12.5 points per game).

Team Scoring Averages

Breaking down the team’s scoring across each quarter:

• Linsly averages:
  • Q1: 18.5
  • Q2: 14.5
  • Q3: 15.0
  • Q4: 14.5
  • Total: 61.5 points per game

Linsly’s offensive output shows a balanced performance, especially in the first quarter, where they average nearly 19 points. Their scoring remains fairly consistent throughout the game, which suggests they are capable of sustaining offensive pressure.

• Westerville Central averages:
  • Q1: 13.5
  • Q2: 12.8
  • Q3: 16.3
  • Q4: 12.5
  • OT1: 4.5
  • Total: 53.8 points per game

Westerville Central’s scoring is more spread out across quarters, with their highest average coming in the third quarter (16.3 points). Their first and second quarters show lower outputs, which can be a concern, especially when trying to build an early lead.

Head-to-Head Comparison

The two teams have faced off against some common opponents during the season, which provides a helpful comparison for their overall strength.

• Linsly’s Common Opponents:
  Linsly’s record against common opponents is 0-0, as no direct games have been recorded so far in the 2024-2025 season.
• Westerville Central’s Common Opponents:
  Westerville Central holds a 0-1 record against shared rivals, including a significant loss to Westerville North (82-52) on January 4, 2025.

Record Breakdown

When we examine the record breakdown, Linsly has an advantage in overall and away performance, boasting a 4-7 record with a solid 2-0 at home. Meanwhile, Westerville Central has struggled across the board, especially in non-conference play, where they are 1-7. Their performance in away games (3-4) stands out, yet their struggles in neutral games (0-5) align similarly to Linsly’s challenges away from home.

Here’s a closer look at their specific record breakdowns:

• Linsly:
  • Overall: 4-7
  • League: 0-0
  • Non-League: 4-7
  • Home: 2-0
  • Away: 2-2
  • Neutral: 0-5
• Westerville Central:
  • Overall: 4-9
  • Conference: 3-2
  • Non-Conference: 1-7
  • Home: 1-5
  • Away: 3-4
  • Neutral: 0-0

Conclusion

Both Linsly and Westerville Central face challenges, with Linsly showing a slightly stronger overall record. However, Westerville Central’s better performance in conference games provides a glimmer of hope for a stronger finish in their league. Both teams need to address their away and neutral game performances to push for more consistent results. If Linsly can continue their dominance at home, they may be able to leverage their advantage, while Westerville Central will need to improve their scoring consistency and resolve to climb out of their tough season.