SAINT CHARLES, Mo. (Interstat) — A surging Lindenwood looks to continue its strong start to Ohio Valley Conference play when it hosts struggling Southern Indiana on Saturday at Robert F. Hyland Performance Arena.

The Lions (9-5) opened their conference schedule with a decisive 77-64 victory over Morehead State on Thursday. Forward Milos Nenadic led the way with 21 points and six rebounds, continuing a stretch of efficient play. Over his last six games, Nenadic is averaging 12.7 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 56% from the field. He is complemented by a balanced attack that saw Clayton Jackson dish out seven assists and Dontrez Williams add 20 points in the win.

Lindenwood has won five of its last six games, with the only loss in that span a narrow 70-65 defeat at Missouri State. The Lions’ offense has been potent, scoring 92 points or more in three of those victories.

They face a Southern Indiana team (3-9) mired in a five-game losing streak. The Screaming Eagles fell 59-55 at SIU Edwardsville on Thursday despite a strong performance from forward Tolu Samuels, who posted 14 points and eight rebounds. Samuels has been a bright spot, averaging 9.5 points and 5.3 rebounds over his last four contests.

Southern Indiana’s struggles are underscored by offensive woes; the team has failed to reach 65 points in any of its five consecutive losses. Their last win came against Kentucky State on Nov. 29.

The matchup pits one of the OVC’s hottest teams against one searching for momentum. Lindenwood will aim to protect its home court and improve to 2-0 in conference play, while Southern Indiana desperately seeks a turnaround to avoid falling into an early league hole.

Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon.