Basketball Game Preview: Vermillion Tanagers vs. Lennox Orioles

Vermillion and Lennox are an even 5-5 against one another since January of 2020, but not for long. The two teams will face off at 7:00 p.m. on Friday without much rest, having both just played. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a ten-game winning streak alive.

Vermillion is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Thursday. They walked away with a 54-44 victory over Elk Point-Jefferson. Given the Tanagers' advantage in MaxPreps' South Dakota basketball rankings (they are ranked 14th, while the Huskies are ranked 82nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Lennox not only won on Thursday, but they posted their biggest win since January 2nd. They claimed a resounding 66-28 win over Canton. The Orioles have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won seven games by 22 points or more this season.

Vermillion's victory was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 18-3. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 70.2 points over those games. As for Lennox, their win bumped their record up to 17-4.

Vermillion might still be hurting after the 58-36 defeat they got from Lennox in their previous matchup back in January. Can Vermillion avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.