After both having extra time off, the Independence Mustangs and the Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings will dust off their jerseys to challenge one another at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. Both are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Independence is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They blew past New Hampton 69-43 two weeks ago. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Mustangs have posted since February 9, 2024.
While Vinton-Shellsburg didn't have the best season last year (they finished 2-20), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They blew past South Tama County 72-35 two weeks ago. Given the Vikings' advantage in MaxPreps' Iowa basketball rankings (they are ranked 103rd, while the Trojans are ranked 291st), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
The victory made it two in a row for Vinton-Shellsburg and bumps their season record up to 6-2. As for Independence, their win bumped their record up to 3-4.
Independence ended up a good deal behind Vinton-Shellsburg in their previous matchup back in December of 2024, losing 74-57. Will Independence have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
