Andalusia girls coach Bennie Shellhouse said Thursday that his team is fully aware of how important tonight’s area contest in Ashford in regards to the postseason.

If the Lady Bulldogs beat the Lady Yellow Jackets, then they’ll earn the right to host the area tournament, beginning Feb. 6.

Andalusia isn’t unfamiliar with hosting the area tournament. It has been the host of the tournament the last three of four years, Shellhouse said.

The last time the Lady Bulldogs had to travel for an area tournament was when they had to go to Thomasville, based on a coin flip to decide who would host.

Right now, Andalusia sits at 18-2 overall, and 4-0 in Class 4A, Area 3 after winning its 16th straight game on Tuesday night against Straughn.

“I think they understand that we need to win one more of the next two to secure our place for hosting the playoffs,” Shellhouse said.

After tonight’s contest, the Lady Bulldogs will have one more regular season area game against Headland on Tuesday night at home.

Shellhouse said he talked with the team on Wednesday about playing in a “consistent” manner.

“That’s been a common thing with us — just consistency,” he said.

On the boys side, the Bulldogs need to win the next two area contests — including tonight — in order to host the area tournament.

Andalusia narrowly beat rival Straughn on Tuesday night 44-37. The Tigers went on a 10-0 run with more than five minutes remaining in the contest.

The last time the boys played Ashford, the Bulldogs also scraped by with a close victory, winning 71-62.

“We need to play well — a lot better than we did down here,” AHS coach Richard Robertson said about the first contest against the Yellow Jackets. We had two good quarters against Straughn (on Tuesday night), and in the last three minutes of the ball game, we started to self-destruct.”

But in the last few days at practice, Robertson said the boys have been doing well.

“We’ve got the potential to do as we always do,” he said.

Tip off in Ashford tonight is at 4:30 p.m. with the B-team. The girls will play immediately following the first game at around 5:30 p.m.