Round 15 DrinkWise Game Preview

WHEN: Sunday 25 January, 2026
TIME: 6.30pm AEDT
WHERE: AIS Arena, Bendigo
BROADCAST: ESPN, 9NOW, ESPN on Disney+

Bendigo returns to the floor in Canberra tomorrow night for the reverse fixture against the Canberra Capitals, less than 24 hours after their impressive 89–72 win at home.

The Spirit controlled Friday night’s meeting behind another electric display from Isobel Borlase, who backed up Wednesday’s 42‑point haul with 33 more in Bendigo, continuing a blistering run that has seen her pour in 75 points across the opening two games of this demanding three‑game stretch.

The victory pushed Bendigo to 15–4 and kept them in the hunt for top spot on the ladder, sitting just behind Townsville with a game in hand. It also marked their second dominant defensive performance in a row, holding Canberra to just 13 points in the third term as they broke the game open.

Tomorrow’s contest will close out a gruelling five‑day run that has seen the Spirit compete in three different cities, adding a taxing travel component to an already high‑stakes period of the season. They will, however, be without young guard Micah Simpson after she suffered a knee injury late in last night’s match and remains under assessment.

Canberra, now 8–11, is fighting desperately to stay alive in the race for the fourth and final playoff spot after the loss dented their hopes of creating separation in a tight mid‑table battle. The Caps began brightly in Bendigo, even leading early, but couldn’t match the Spirit’s depth or long‑range shooting as the game progressed.

With the Spirit already locked into the post-season and pushing hard for the No. 1 seed, and the Caps clinging to their finals ambitions, both teams enter the rematch with everything on the line - just with significantly different ladder pressures. Expect Canberra to come out swinging at home, and Bendigo to lean once again on Borlase’s remarkable form as they look to finish this demanding stretch with another statement win.