Tonight is the night that ‘The Big One’ returns to the Vertu Motors Arena as the Newcastle Eagles take on Manchester Basketball.

In the thriving landscape of women’s sport, these are the exact occasions that players dream of playing in.

Newcastle Eagles created ‘The Big One’ two seasons ago in an attempt to set a Super League Basketball Women (SLBW) record attendance, while creating an electric atmosphere.

On two occasions, this ambition has become a reality. The latest of which saw Eagles fans turn out in their masses, as the club recorded an attendance of 1,303 people inside the VMU.

Now, Newcastle dream bigger. With Andrea Daley and her fellow Eagles ready to showcase their immense potential against an ever-improving Manchester Basketball team on the showcourt, this fixture has all the makings of a thriller.

Two teams fighting for a postseason advantage

This game means more than creating record-breaking figures; the Newcastle Eagles will be turning up on Thursday night in an attempt to establish a safe distance in the championship standings between themselves and their opponent.

Sitting in sixth position — one place behind the Eagles — Manchester cannot afford to lose footing or momentum in their race to the postseason. A win in this tie would leave them just one win behind the Tynesiders.

Both possess dangerous players who have the potential to tip the scales in either team’s favour; however, Andrea Daley and Frannie Hottinger will be the matchup that fans must be aware of.

Players to watch

For Newcastle, Daley has been an essential cog in head coach Chloe Gaynor’s system. The Boston College alum has contributed to each and every statistic for her team, and has a strong case to be awarded the SLBW MVP come the end of the season.

Daley has averaged 22.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, and three steals per game during the regular season. Her physicality, ball-handling skills, and deft touch around the rim have made her a tough matchup for every defender she’s faced.

On the other hand, Frannie Hottinger has been no pushover and would be right to presume she has her own case for the league’s MVP.

Much like her rival, Hottinger has recorded fantastic numbers this season — scoring 18.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game.

Manchester Basketball will be dreaming of a more positive result than when the two sides faced off on February 22, with the Eagles clinching a vital 86-62 victory — a game in which Andrea Daley recorded 24 points, 15 rebounds and six assists on 7-12 shooting.

Regardless of past results, this is going to be a tightly knitted affair decided by small margins — do not miss out.