Basketball Game Preview: Hamilton Southeastern Royals vs. Valparaiso Vikings

Hamilton Southeastern is a perfect 7-0 against Valparaiso since November of 2014 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Saturday. The Hamilton Southeastern Royals will square off against the Valparaiso Vikings at 10:00 a.m. Both teams are coming into the game red-hot, with Hamilton Southeastern sitting on 26 straight wins and Valparaiso on ten.

Hamilton Southeastern is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Saturday. They took down Homestead 65-48.

Kennedy Holman

Field Goal Percentage

02/15/25 vs Homestead	88%
02/08/25 vs Westfield	20%
02/07/25 vs Zionsville	50%
02/04/25 vs Fishers	57%
01/28/25 @ Pike	45%
+ 43 more games

Hamilton Southeastern's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Kennedy Holman, who went 7-for-8 to rack up 24 points in addition to six assists and six rebounds. What's more, Holman also posted a 88% shooting accuracy, which is the highest she's achieved since back in November of 2023. Maya Makalusky was another key player, going 6-for-15 en route to 24 points and eight boards.

Hamilton Southeastern smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least ten offensive boards in three consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Valparaiso didn't have too much trouble with Hammond Central on Saturday as they won 55-37.

Valparaiso's win came from a few key players Hamilton Southeastern will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Lillian Barnes, who almost dropped a triple-double with 14 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists. She is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in each of the last four games she's played. Another player making a difference was Delilah Kincaid, who went 6-for-9 on her way to 18 points and seven boards.

Hamilton Southeastern's win bumped their record up to 26-0. As for Valparaiso, their victory bumped their record up to 19-7.

Everything came up roses for Hamilton Southeastern against Valparaiso when the teams last played back in November of 2019, as the team secured a 73-22 win. Will Hamilton Southeastern repeat their success, or does Valparaiso have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.