ON another exciting Thursday night encounter, the Sydney Uni Flames will be searching for their first win of the season. Meanwhile, the Boomers will be seeking some consistency with a big win to get their confidence back up.

Melbourne Boomers v Sydney Uni Flames 

Thursday, 7pm at State Basketball Centre

The key match-up: Brittany Smart v Lindsay Allen

Smart has been a shining light for the Flames while Allen has set up many offensive plays for her side this season. Smart too is a playmaker and has played a key role in Sydney’s close losses. She will be determined to spur her team on to win, but Allen is no easy opponent. It will likely be a battle of assists, with both players aiming to hit up their bigs in the paint.

Season so far:

Melbourne has had a bit of a shaky start to its championship defence. The Boomers regained some form with a massive win over Dandenong on Saturday but went down to the Spirit two days later, highlighting some inconsistencies in their game. The Flames haven’t been much better, starting their season with no wins. They probably deserve to have a couple of victories on the board, but seem to tire towards the end.

The game:

The Boomers will start as favourites here with the home court advantage, but Sydney will be desperate for a win. Melbourne has a habit of getting the job done convincingly against the weaker sides, which will hold the home team in good stead heading into this one. The Flames will need to closely watch Steph Talbot, who had a killer week in her two games for the Boomers last week.