Portage hasn't had much luck against Valparaiso recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Portage Indians will take on the Valparaiso Vikings at 7:30 p.m.
Portage came up short against Kankakee Valley on Thursday, falling 55-32. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest loss the Indians have suffered against the Kougars since January 26, 2017.
| 01/30/25 @ Kankakee Valley | 2 |
| 11/27/24 @ Michigan City | 1 |
| 01/09/24 @ East Chicago Central | 1 |
| 12/28/23 vs South Bend Adams | 1 |
| 12/21/23 vs Hammond Central | 1 |
Portage's defeat came about despite a quality game from Peyton Wilson, who posted ten points and five rebounds. The dominant performance also gave Wilson a new career-high in blocks (two). Kylie Byrd was another key player, putting up four points along with eight boards and four steals.
Even though they lost, Portage smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 17 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least nine offensive boards in three consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, two teams were on the hunt for playoff glory, but only Valparaiso walked away with it. They blew past the Brickies, posting a 64-33 victory. The Vikings have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won ten contests by 27 points or more this season.
Portage better keep an eye on Lillian Barnes. She was instrumental in Valparaiso's win, going 9 for 14 en route to 21 points in addition to eight steals and six rebounds. Barnes' evening made it six games in a row in which she has scored at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Delilah Kincaid, who went 7 of 11 on her way to 15 points.
The win (which was Valparaiso's seventh in a row) raised their record to 16-7. They've dominated over that stretch too, winning by an average of 30.9 points. As for Portage, their loss dropped their record down to 10-12.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Portage has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 27.4 boards per game. However, it's not like Valparaiso struggles in that department as they've been averaging 27.7 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Portage was dealt a bruising 74-21 defeat at the hands of Valparaiso when the teams last played back in January. That game was all but decided by halftime, at which point Portage was down 48-10.
