Basketball Game Preview: Illini West Chargers vs. Macomb Bombers

The Illini West Chargers will face off against the Macomb Bombers at 7:30 p.m. on Monday.

Last Thursday, Illini West was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap as they fell 54-50 to Havana. The Chargers have struggled against the Ducks recently, as the game was their ninth consecutive lost matchup.

Meanwhile, Macomb strolled past Liberty with points to spare on Saturday, taking the game 59-43. Given the Bombers' advantage in MaxPreps' Illinois basketball rankings (they are ranked 132nd, while the Eagles are ranked 277th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Macomb has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 20-9 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 56.8 points over those games. As for Illini West, their defeat was their first in the conference, dropping their conference record down to 3-1 and their overall record down to 16-13.

Illini West lost to Macomb at home by a decisive 45-30 margin when the teams last played back in November of 2024. Will Illini West have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other basketball content.