R16 Preview: Perth Wildcats vs Sky Sport Breakers

WHO: PERTH WILDCATS vs NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS 
WHEN: Sunday 20th March 2022, 7:30PM NZDT
WHERE: RAC Arena, Perth
BROADCAST: Sky Sport Select 

After waiting 101 days to play each other for the first time in NBL22, they face up again six days after the game of the season on Monday night in Hobart.  

This is first home game for the Wildcats since 19^th December or 91 days since their last game in Perth and 14 road games (9-wins, 5 losses) 

New Zealand are technically on the road for the whole 28 games of the season and they are the only team that will travel to Perth twice to play at RAC Arena over the remaining 35 days of the season. 

The Wildcats are on a season best five game win streak. 

On Monday night, the Wildcats 104 def Breakers 102 in overtime
A combined 206-points was the highest scoring of any game in NBL22.
Vic Law’s 39-points was the highest score by any player this season
Perth shot 54.8% from the field – their highest in any game this year
New Zealand shot a season high 16-from-39 threes
It was the first game this season with two players having 20-point halves. Vic Law scored 21 in first half and Hugo Besson scored all of his 23-points after half-time. 

Hugo Besson’s 17-points in the third quarter was the most any player had scored against Perth in a quarter this season.
Last Monday was the only time team-mates have combined for 30-pts in NBL22 (Law 39, Cotton 32) 

Since the NBL switched to 40-minute games in 2009/10 season, Bryce Cotton and Vic law have averaged more points than any other combination in that span with Cotton involved in the top three.
Bryce Cotton is currently averaging 23.7 and Vic Law 21.1ppg 

Highest scoring combos since 2009:
44.8 per game – Bryce Cotton and Vic Law 2022 Wildcats
40.6 per game – Bryce Cotton and Casey Prather 2017 Wildcats
40.4 per game – Bryce Cotton and John Mooney 2021 Wildcats
40.3 per game – John Roberson and Mitch Creek 2020 Phoenix
40.0 per game – Kirk Penney and CJ Bruton 2010 Breakers  

The last Wildcat team-mates to average more than Cotton/Law was Scott Fisher and James Crawford who combined for 44.9 back in 1993. 

Over their last four games, Vic Law has averaged 26.3ppg (at 62% from the field) and Bryce Cotton 25.0ppg (45%FG) 

Yanni Wetzell is playing his first game back at RAC Arena since he was with the Phoenix in round three last season which is 50 games played between games out West. His last game at RAC was very memorable with a unexpected 1-point win when a Jesse Wagstaff layup was missed on the buzzer to give the Phoenix the win. 

Playing at RAC Arena will be a first time experience for many of the Breakers roster including Hugo Besson, Ousmane Dieng, Chasson Randle, Sam Timmins and Peyton Siva.  

Mitch Norton will be playing his first game at RAC Arena for the season after he missed the first five home games with a right knee hyperextension.
Matt Hodgson played just 1:11 of the first game at RAC Arena vs Adelaide before he suffered a lower leg injury and he has not played at RAC Arena since. 

Perth Wildcats home games in NBL22:
Round 1: defeated Adelaide by 12-points (85-73)
Round 1: defeated Cairns by 23-points (90-67)
Round 2: lost to Brisbane by 3-points in double overtime (94-97)
Round 3: defeated Brisbane by 13-points (83-70)
Round 3: defeated Tasmania by 18-points (101-83) 

All time meetings: 75 meetings Wildcats won 41 Breakers won 34  

Perth have won 6 of their last 7 home games against the Breakers but last year New Zealand won at RAC Arena in round 14 after being 13-points behind to win 83-78. The hero on that day was Levi Randolph with 23-points and Colton Iverson had 17 rebounds and kept John Mooney to just 8. Bryce Cotton was kept to 12-points but did have 10 assists. 

New Zealand Breakers Last 6 games and upcoming schedule:
Round 12: Sunday 20^th Feb away to United (Lost 73-108)
Round 13: Tuesday 1^st March home vs Hawks (Hobart) (Lost 87-102)
Round 14: Saturday 5^th March away to Jack Jumpers (Launceston) (Lost 62-66)
Round 14: Monday 7^th March home vs Bullets (Hobart) (Lost 74-92)
Round 15: Saturday 12^th March home vs 36ers (Adelaide)(Won 84-75)
Round 15: Monday 14^th March home vs Wildcats (Hobart) (Lost 102-104)
Round 16: Sunday 20^th March away to Wildcats
Round 17: Thursday 24^th March home vs Bullets (Hobart)
Round 17: Sunday 27^th March home vs Taipans (Hobart)
Round 18: Monday 4^th April home vs Taipans (Hobart)
Round 19: Thursday 7^th April away to Wildcats
Round 19: Sunday 10^th April home vs Phoenix (TBC)
Round 19: Tuesday 12^th April home vs Kings (TBC)
Round 20: Friday 15^th April home vs JackJumpers (Hobart)
Round 21: Sunday 24^th April home vs 36ers (Hobart) 

Perth Wildcats Last 6 games and upcoming schedule:
Round 13: Saturday 26^th Feb away to Phoenix (Lost 80-86)
Round 13: Monday 28^th Feb away to Jack Jumpers (Won 89-78)
Round 14: Sunday 6^th March away to 36ers (Won 92-73)
Round 15: Thursday 10^th March away to United (Won 97-87)
Round 15: Saturday 12^th March away to Bullets (Won 95-83)
Round 15: Monday 14^th March away to Breakers (Hobart) (Won 104-102)
Round 16: Sunday 20^th March at home vs Breakers
Round 17: Thursday 24^th March at home vs JackJumpers
Round 17: Saturday 26^th March at home vs Kings
Round 18: Monday 4^th April at home vs United
Round 19: Thursday 7^th April at home vs Breakers
Round 20: Thursday 14^th April at home vs 36ers
Round 20: Saturday 16^th April at home vs Taipans
Round 21: Friday 22^nd April at home vs Hawks
Round 21: Sunday 24^th April at home vs Phoenix