Basketball Game Preview: Illini Central Cougars vs. Riverton Hawks

The Illini Central Cougars will head out to square off against the Riverton Hawks at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this game.

It was a proper cat-fight when Illini Central faced off against Pleasant Plains on Tuesday. Illini Central took a blow against Pleasant Plains, falling 61-26. While losing is never fun, the Cougars can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Illinois basketball rankings (they are ranked 539th, while the Cardinals are ranked 143rd).

Riverton has been a dominant force so far, but they're in the middle of a mini-slump at the moment. The contest between them and Maroa-Forsyth didn't end well, with Riverton falling 63-47.

Illini Central has been struggling recently as they've lost six of their last seven matchups, which has put a noticeable dent in their 14-14 record this season. As for Riverton, their loss dropped their record down to 20-9.

Illini Central was able to grind out a solid win over Riverton in their previous meeting back in February of 2024, winning 59-52. The rematch might be a little tougher for Illini Central since the team won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.