The Miners and Bandits entered the game in second and third position on the ladder respectively and not many people could have predicted what would happen at the Lauren Jackson Sports Centre.

The Hotondo Homes Miners stifled the NBL1's highest scoring team (99.5 points per game entering the game), restricting the Bandits to only 63 points on 32 per cent shooting.

While it would have been one thing to simply clamp down on the Bandits defensively, the Miners also produced the highest score by any NBL1 team this season, doubling the Bandits score and producing an incredible 126 points and hitting 59 per cent of their shots.

All 10 of the Miners players scored in the match-up, with seven of those 10 scoring in double-digits.

Perhaps the most impressive performance of the night was by Miners centre Deng Acouth who registered a triple double, scoring 21 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and blocking 11 shots. While Acouth was on the court, the Miners outscored the Bandits by 59 points.

Albury Wodonga guard Ken-Jah Bosley came into the game as the NBL1's leadign scorer, averaging over 30 points per game. Bosley was held to only seven points against the Miners.

The only negative to come out of the game was Marqueze Coleman going down with a foot injury mid-way through the third quarter. Coleman registered 17 points in 12 minutes of play.

The win is sure to fill Ballarat with confidence ahead of their top-of-the-table clash with the first-place Kilsyth Cobras next Saturday.

The Ballarat Rush have lost their fifth straight game to open the season after a hard fought battle on the road against the Albury Wodonga Bandits, losing 76-68

It was a back and forth affair with both teams putting together scoring runs and extending their leads at different points in the game.

The Selkirk Rush took a four point lead into half-time before opening the term with some hot shooting and strong interior defence which saw them maintain their lead going into the final quarter.

Olivia Hackman was once again impressive at the guard position, registering 22 points and seven rebounds while 18-year-old Lucy Cochrane patrolled the pain on defense, blocking four shots.

It would be the Bandits who got the last laugh in the end, outscoring the Rush 24-12 in the final quarter due to some confident shot-making from captain Natalie Hurst (24 points).

The Rush had their opportunities to trim the lead towards the end of the game, however turnovers and missed shots kept the game just out of reach.

The Rush will next face the Kilsyth Cobras in their fourth of five games on the road in a row.

DETAILS:

FINAL SCORE

Ballarat Miners: 31, 35, 34, 26 (126) d Albury Wodonga Bandits: 17, 18, 20, 8 (63)

SCORERS:

MINERS: Kuany 24 (1 three-pointer), Evans Jr 23 (3), Acouth 21, Coleman 17, Dunmore 12 (4), Short 11 (1), Fisher 10 (2), Lingard 4, Weightman 3 (1), Fox 1. BANDITS: Malou 23 (1), Jones 21, Bosley 7 (1), Riak 7 (1), Molnar 3 (1), George 2.

STATS:

REBOUNDS - Miners 50, Bandits 34

ASSISTS - Miners 13, Bandits 6

STEALS - Miners 9, Bandits 4

BLOCKS - Miners 15, Bandits 6

TURNOVERS - Miners 9, Bandits 17

FOULS - Miners 13, Bandits 23

FINAL SCORE

Albury Wodonga Bandits: 18, 15, 19, 24 (76) d Ballarat Rush 18, 19, 19, 12 (68)

SCORERS:

RUSH: Hackman 22 (2), Amoore 15 (2), Burke 12, Taylor 7 (1), Cochrane 7, Blower 3, Constable 2. BANDITS: Hurst 24 (4), Harmon 18, Madahy 10, Edwards 9, Daniel 8 (1), Kirby 5, Zavecz 2.

STATS:

REBOUNDS - Rush 41, Bandits 47

ASSISTS - Rush 9, Bandits 11

STEALS - Rush 4, Bandits 9

BLOCKS - Rush 7, Bandits 6

TURNOVERS - Rush 19, Bandits 9

FOULS - Rush 21, Bandits 14