Basketball Game Preview: Northwood Gators vs. Lakeview Gators

Northwood hasn't had much luck against Lakeview recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Northwood Gators will square off against the Lakeview Gators at 7:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.

Northwood took a loss when they played away from home last Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They blew past LaSalle 58-12. That looming 58-12 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Gators yet this season.

Northwood's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Jahari Mccoy, who posted 17 points in addition to six assists and three steals. Mccoy has been hot for a while, having posted two or more steals the last 13 times he's played. Kadorian Brown was another key player, putting up nine points along with six boards and three steals.

Mccoy wasn't the only one working in the assists department: Northwood was working as a unit and finished the game with 18 assists. That's the most assists they've posted since the start of last season.

Meanwhile, Lakeview entered their tilt with Logansport on Friday with eight consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with nine. They blew past the Tigers, posting a 69-33 win. Given the Gators' advantage in MaxPreps' Louisiana basketball rankings (they are ranked 52nd, while the Tigers are ranked 242nd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Northwood's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-5. Those victories came thanks to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 25.3 points per game. As for Lakeview, they are on a roll lately: they've won 12 of their last 13 contests, which provided a nice bump to their 25-5 record this season.

Northwood came up short against Lakeview in their previous matchup back in November of 2021, falling 77-72. Can Northwood avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.