South Oldham vs. Oldham County Predictions/Updates

Date: Friday 1/17/2020

Tipoff: 7:30 pm

Video Coverage: approx 7:40 pm ET The Pegasus Sports Network - PSN

#16 South Oldham entertains #13 Oldham County on Friday in Crestwood, with the tip somewhere between 7:30 pm and 7:45 pm (boys game immediately follows girls game)

This is a 29th District seeding game and critically important. In the 29th, there are the three Oldham County schools (Oldham Co, South Oldham, and North Oldham) and Trimble County.

Trimble County is already 0-3 in seeding games and guaranteed to be the #4 seed. None of the Oldham schools wish to face each other - a backyard rivalry in an elimination game with all the emotional undercurrents that go along with that.

Both teams are 1-0 in district play. A win clinches the #1 seed, because - even if the loser were to then beat North Oldham, and the winner would to lose to North Oldham - that would result in both teams being 2-1 in seeding contests and the winner of this game would earn the #1 seed based on head-to-head competition.

South Oldham is the highest scoring team in the region at 77 ppg; Oldham County is #2 at 72.1 ppg.

Oldham County has the largest average margin of victory in the region at +15.9 (the Colonels are #2 in points allowed at 56.2 ppg) and South has the second largest average margin of victory at +15.6.

South boasts the #5 scorer in the region in senior Luke Morrison, the defending 8th Region Player of the Year, who averages 20.6 ppg. Morrison is also the region's top free throw shooter at 84.6%.

As teams, South Oldham and Oldham County are both hitting 72.1% of their free throws, tied for #25 in the state and 4th in the region.

South Oldham is tops in the region - and tops in the state - in made three pointers with 187.

Oldham is fourth in the region with 108 made threes.

South leads the region in three point shooting accuracy at 41.3%; Oldham County is #2 in the region in three point shooting accuracy at 40.6%.

Luke Morrison is #2 in the region in three point shooting accuracy at 43.6%; Deaton Oak of Oldham County is #4 in the region in three point shooting accuracy at 41.7%.

Oldham County is currently riding the longest winning streak in the region with five consecutive wins.

South Oldham is undefeated at home, with a home-court record of 5-0.

Biggest difference: South is a senior-dominated team. There are 10 seniors on the roster, with four starting. The top five scorers are seniors.

Oldham County is a junior-dominated team. There are 8 juniors on the team, with four starting. The top four scorers and five of the top six are juniors.

Oldham County is 14-2; South Oldham is 13-4. Oldham County's only loss to a Kentucky team was by 6 at Woodford County in December.

Big Win:

South Oldham defeated then-#17 Warren Central, 72-68

Oldham County hasn't beaten a ranked team, but has beaten two teams that were ranked at one time, with victories over Paul Laurence Dunbar, 57-50, and Beechwood, 67-54.

Five of the last seven meetings have been decided by 6 points or less.

South has won the last 7 meetings between the two teams in Crestwood. Oldham County last won on the Dragons' home court on March 1, 2007, in the 29th District tournament, defeating South, 72-67.

Should be an awesome game - as usual!

Looking forward to the broadcast! I'll post updates as possible.

CM

What’s the tiebreaker if all three Oldham’s finish 2-1 in district play? The winner of the South - OC game?

What’s the tiebreaker if all three Oldham’s finish 2-1 in district play? The winner of the South - OC game?

Good point. Honestly wasn't thinking about that when I typed the above preview.

That is a possibility.

Once upon a time, the district 29 tie-breaker for a three-way tie was Litkenhous ratings as of a certain date. But I don't think they use that anymore, and we haven't had a 3-way tie in the district in a long, long time.

This year, that's a legitimate possibility.

I'll check.

CM

So they only play once? Most districts play each other 2 times.

Most of the 8th Region districts only play 1 seeding game against each other.

District 31 is the exception; those schools play each other home-and-home.

Districts 29, 30, and 32 play just one seeding game per team.

District 29 - the district with the Oldham schools - has debated it - almost annually - but has rejected it each year. Not sure why - with three schools in the same county, it would seem to make sense simply from a gate standpoint.

District 30 tries to get the best of both worlds. They play only one seeding game per team, but the two Shelby schools play each other home-and-home. Only one of those games counts as a seeding game, though.

CM

What’s the tiebreaker if all three Oldham’s finish 2-1 in district play? The winner of the South - OC game?

I confirmed the three-way tiebreaker tonight. It's points differential up to a maximum of 25 points.

If they're still tied, I don't know what they do. Quick game of canasta? LOL

Thanks ColonelMike. I would think South's Simpson would have a solid advantage over Zerhusen and Levitch in a game of canasta!

Oldham County now 15-2 for the second time in three seasons ....

South Oldham 13-5 after heartbreaking loss in final 20 seconds to Collins. The Dragons will have a chip on their shoulder when this game starts.

Pregame show starts right after the girls game:

5:30 pm pregame show - girls South vs. Oldham

6 pm tipoff - girls game South vs. Oldham

Boys' pregame show will begin about 15 minutes after the girls game ends, or somewhere around 7:40 pm ET

The Pegasus Sports Network - PSN

Give me the home court, I'll take SO by 7.

Give me the home court, I'll take SO by 7.

South's loss to Collins on Tuesday was their first loss on their home court this season. And Oldham hasn't won in Crestwood since March of 2007.... (now, does that mean Oldham County is jinxed in Crestwood - or does it mean that they are due? :ohbrother: )

South's loss to Collins on Tuesday was their first loss on their home court this season. And Oldham hasn't won in Crestwood since March of 2007.... (now, does that mean Oldham County is jinxed in Crestwood - or does it mean that they are due? :ohbrother: )

Most certainly due, but jinxed no. It says to me when playing in Crestwood, you better bring your A Plus game. Most good teams are prepared to protect the home turf.

Two of the winningest coaches in the 8th region over the last 6+ seasons...

Oldham's Coy Zerhusen is the winningest coach in the region since the 2013-14 season (Zerhusen's first year at OC); South's Steve Simpson is the third-winningest during that time.

Coy Zerhusen, Oldham County 165 wins - 49 losses

Chris Gaither, Collins 149 - 67

Steve Simpson, South Oldham 141 - 61

The next closest coach has 115 wins during that stretch.

Over the last seven seasons, Simpson has won three region titles and been runner-up twice. Zerhusen has one region title during that span, with two runner-up finishes.

Zerhusen is 8-4 vs. Simpson since taking over the Colonels in 2013-14.

OC vs South is always a good game and always comes down to the wire. Hoping for the same tonight and an OC victory. Give me OC 65 South 63

Most of the 8th Region districts only play 1 seeding game against each other.

 

District 31 is the exception; those schools play each other home-and-home.

 

Districts 29, 30, and 32 play just one seeding game per team.

 

District 29 - the district with the Oldham schools - has debated it - almost annually - but has rejected it each year. Not sure why - with three schools in the same county, it would seem to make sense simply from a gate standpoint.

 

District 30 tries to get the best of both worlds. They play only one seeding game per team, but the two Shelby schools play each other home-and-home. Only one of those games counts as a seeding game, though.

 

CM

Thanks for the info.

Game scheduled right after girls' matchup. Probable start likely around 7:40ish. I'll send updates as I can....