Basketball Game Preview: Dowagiac Chieftains vs. Michigan Lutheran Titans

The Dowagiac Chieftains are taking a road trip to challenge the Michigan Lutheran Titans at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. Dowagiac has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the matchup with four straight defeats, while Michigan Lutheran will come in with five straight victories.

Last Thursday, Dowagiac ended up a good deal behind Berrien Springs and lost 56-39. While losing is never fun, the Chieftains can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Michigan basketball rankings (they are ranked 472nd, while the Shamrocks are ranked 134th).

Meanwhile, Michigan Lutheran was fully in charge on Friday, breezing past Hartford 43-13. The Titans have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won five games by 23 points or more this season.

Michigan Lutheran's win was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 8-8. The wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 17.8 points over those games. As for Dowagiac, their loss dropped their record down to 4-11.

Everything came up roses for Dowagiac against Michigan Lutheran when the teams last played back in February of 2024, as the squad secured a 48-20 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Dowagiac since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.