NEWS CHANNELMK Lions are in need of a change of fortunes on the basketball court as they sit in a lowly tenth place in the BBL Championship.
If they are to add to their two wins this season Mike New's men are going to have to fight for it as they host Newcastle Eagles at their Winterhill warehouse home on Friday night.
The two sides meet for the first time this season and Lions head coach Mike New, who took over from Vince Macaulay in the summer, expects the visitors to provide a stern test for his side.
He said: "Newcastle is a team who are playing really well at the moment and a lot of their offence in generated by their defence.
"They are a team that like to take the first look at a three pointer that becomes available, although they do have good finishers around the basket."
While it is the first meeting between the teams this season, New has a good idea what to expect from the Eagles. He added: "Their key players are obviously Trey More, Charles Smith and Joe Chapman.
"That is quite a trio and they are all capable of carrying a team. I've seen video of them, but I haven't had a chance to see them in person this season."
The Eagles won all three meetings between the teams last season, with all the victories coming by double digit margins, and they lead the all-time series between the teams 56-22.
Eagles go into the game on a good run of form which has seen them move up to fourth in the BBL Championship table with a 9-3 record, while Lions are in tenth spot with a two wins from nine games, but have played the fewest number of matches in the competition.
Despite the discrepancy in wins, Eagles coach Fab Flournoy won't be taking the Lions lightly.
Flournoy said: "We know Milton Keynes will be well rested and ready for the game. It is almost like the beginning of their season with all the games they have left to play."
"We have watched some tape of them but they are very much a work in progress with the changes they have made over Christmas.
"Travis Nelson is obviously their primary inside scorer but they really now have a lot of perimeter fire power with Stefan Gill, Clark, Demarius Bolds and of course Yorick Williams. That makes them a very dangerous team when they put it all together."
