SETTING THE SCENE: Riding a two-game winning streak, the Milford High School girls basketball team will be back on the court this week for a pair of games inside the Eastern Cincinnati Conference. The Eagles are coming off consecutive wins over Clark Montessori and Shroder and will be searching for their first conference win of the year when they travel to Kings on Wednesday night. Saturday its back home for a matinee against Withrow. Milford enters the week 3-7 overall and 0-5 in league play.

A LOOK BACK: December 28 vs. Shroder: Milford 40, Shroder 36

GAME REWIND

Milford took the lead early in the second quarter and never looked back, sealing consecutive wins for the first time this season with a 40-36 win over Shroder. The Eagles opened a lead of seven points near the midpoint of the fourth quarter and were able to withstand the pressure defense implemented by the Jaguars late in the going to hold on for the win. Abby Thierauf put the win on ice when she rebounded and put back a missed free throw attempt with 30 seconds remaining.

RECORDS

Milford 3-7

Shroder 8-2

KEY PLAYERS

Milford

Maddie Plucinski 11 points

Abby Thierauf 4 points, 9 rebounds, 6 blocks

Ali Kirk 8 points, 5 rebounds

Shroder

Dy’Jha Armfield 15 points

Serenity Nichols 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists

Jariah McCrory 7 points, 10 rebounds

NUGGET OF NOTE: Maddie Plucinski put up a career-high in points for the second straight game when she matched her 11 points scored against Clark Montessori last week. Abby Thierauf’s six blocks were the most in a single game by a Milford player since Lisa Sullivan blocked six shots at Seton on Dec. 18, 2014.

FINAL GAME STATS

A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS: A look at Milford’s schedule for this week:

• Wednesday, Jan. 3 at Kings, 7:30 p.m.
• 2017-18 Record: 3-5, 1-4 ECC (NR Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
• Top Scorer: Junior Jordyn Rhodes (9.7 ppg)
• Last Meeting: 2016-17; Milford 58, Kings 57 & Kings 63, Milford 47
• Saturday, Jan. 6 vs. Withrow, 2:00 p.m.
• 2017-18 Record: 1-7, 0-5 ECC (NR Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
• Top Scorer: Senior Jerria White (11.8 ppg)
• Last Meeting: 2016-17; Milford 56, Withrow 51 & Withrow 49, Milford 46

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: A look at Milford’s statistical leaders:

Points per game: Morgan Hills (9.0), Azyiah Williams (6.8), Ali Kirk (5.6)

Assists per game: Azyiah Williams (2.3), Abby Thierauf (1.0), Morgan Hills (0.8)

Rebounds per game: Abby Thierauf (6.6), Ali Kirk (5.5), Azyiah Williams (3.5)

Steals: Ali Kirk (14), Azyiah Williams (13), Bryn Rolfsen (9)

Blocks: Abby Thierauf (19), Carlie Duesing/Morgan Hills (2)

Field goal percentage: Maddie Plucinski (.400), Azyiah Williams (.329), Morgan Hills (.304)

Three-point percentage: Ali Kirk (.429), Morgan Hills (.308), Azyiah Williams (.208)

Free throw percentage: Maddie Plucinski (.692), Ali Kirk (.682), Morgan Hills (.571)

INSIDE THE ECC: A highly competitive start to the conference season features three teams that are currently undefeated in ECC play. Loveland is showing the way at 5-0 with Walnut Hills and West Clermont each 4-0. A resurgent Anderson squad, after finishing 1-22 and 0-14 in the ECC last year, has started 3-2 in league play. The schedule for ECC conference games this week includes: Wednesday-Milford at Kings, Walnut Hills at Loveland, Anderson at West Clermont and Turpin at Withrow; Saturday-Withrow at Milford, Kings at Walnut Hills, West Clermont at Loveland and Anderson at Turpin.

POLL WATCH: Milford did not receive any votes in the most recent Division I area coaches’ poll sponsored by the Cincinnati Enquirer and released on Jan. 2. Lakota West is the new No. 1 this week by a mere two points over No. 2 Mount Notre Dame. Each squad received six first place votes. Mason, the ECC’s Walnut Hills and McAuley complete the top-five. West Clermont is just outside the top-five in sixth, one spot ahead of No. 7 Loveland. Turpin is among teams also receiving votes. The coaches’ poll is released every Monday at Noon at preps.cincinnati.com/coachespolls.

Milford Eagles Season/Career Highs

Emily Bientz

Points—Season: 4 at Walnut Hills; Career: 4 at Walnut Hills (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Kyrsten Brown

Points—Season: 6 vs. Northwest; Career: 6 vs. Northwest (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 9 at Anderson; Career: 9 at Anderson (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 1 twice; Career: 1 four times

Izzy Dadosky

Points—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Rebounds—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Carlie Duesing

Points—Season: 5 at Anderson; Career: 5 at Anderson (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 4 vs. West Clermont; Career: 4 vs. West Clermont (2017-18)

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Brookelyn Edgar

Points—Season: 1 vs. Northwest; Career: 1 vs. Northwest (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 1 four times; Career: 1 four times (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 1 vs. Shroder; Career: 1 vs. Shroder (2017-18)

Hannah Gallimore

Points—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Rebounds—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Morgan Hills

Points—Season: 14 twice; Career: 14 twice (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 4 three times; Career: 4 three times (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 3 vs. Turpin; Career: 3 vs. Turpin (2017-18)

Ali Kirk

Points—Season: 14 vs. Hillsboro; Career: 14 vs. Hillsboro (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 10 at Clark Montessori; Career: 10 at Clark Montessori (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 2 at Clark Montessori; Career: 2 twice

Maddie Plucinski

Points—Season: 11 twice; Career: 11 twice (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 4 twice; Career: 4 twice (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 2 at McNicholas; Career: 2 at McNicholas (2017-18)

Sydney Poleski

Points—Season: 1 at McNicholas; Career: 1 at McNicholas (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 1 three times; Career: 1 three times (2017-18)

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Bryn Rolfsen

Points—Season: 9 at McNicholas; Career: 9 at McNicholas (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 4 twice; Career: 7 vs. Oak Hills (2016-17)

Assists—Season: 2 at McNicholas; Career: 2 three times

Abby Thierauf

Points—Season: 8 at McNicholas; Career: 8 at McNicholas (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 14 vs. Northwest; Career: 14 vs. Northwest (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 2 four times; Career: 2 four times (2017-18)

Blocks—Season: 6 vs. Shroder; Career: 6 vs. Shroder (2017-18)

Caitlyn Wiscombe

Points—Season: 7 vs. Loveland; Career: 7 vs. Loveland (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 5 vs. Turpin; Career: 5 vs. Turpin (2017-18)

Assists—Season: N/A; Career: N/A

Azyiah Williams

Points—Season: 14 vs. Northwest; Career: 14 vs. Northwest (2017-18)

Rebounds—Season: 6 at McNicholas; Career: 6 at McNicholas (2017-18)

Assists—Season: 6 vs. Northwest; Career: 6 vs. Northwest (2017-18)