PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — A surging Saint Louis team, boasting one of the nation’s best records, visits a struggling La Salle squad in an Atlantic 10 Conference men’s basketball matchup Saturday at Tom Gola Arena.

The Billikens (14-1) enter on an eight-game winning streak, their lone loss a one-point defeat to Stanford in late November. They are coming off a 71-62 road victory at VCU on Wednesday. La Salle (5-11) snapped a six-game skid with its own road win Wednesday, 79-72 at Rhode Island.

Saint Louis has dominated offensively, averaging 89.1 points per game during its win streak and scoring over 100 points three times. Sophomore guard Kellen Thames has been a key catalyst, averaging 12.8 points and 3.0 assists over his last five games. He scored 18 points in 22 minutes off the bench in the win at VCU.

The Explorers have faced a difficult schedule but showed resilience in their last outing. Senior guard Truth Harris led the way with 19 points against Rhode Island, while Rob Dockery added a season-high 22. Harris will need a consistent performance to challenge the deep and efficient Billikens.

La Salle will aim to protect its home court, where it is 4-3 this season. However, Saint Louis presents a significant step up in competition. The Billikens have won their road games by an average of 21 points and feature a balanced attack with five players averaging double-figure scoring.

This is the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams. They are scheduled to play again in St. Louis on Feb. 7.

Saturday’s contest tips off at 12:30 p.m. EST. Saint Louis looks to solidify its place atop the A-10 standings, while La Salle seeks a season-defining upset to build momentum.