NACOGDOCHES, Texas (Interstat) — A surging Stephen F. Austin looks to rebound from its first conference loss when it hosts a struggling Houston Christian team in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball matchup Saturday at William R. Johnson Coliseum.

The Lumberjacks (12-3) saw a seven-game winning streak snapped in a narrow 66-64 road loss at McNeese State on Monday. Despite the setback, they remain one of the Southland Conference’s top teams, boasting a perfect 7-0 record at home this season. Guard Lateef Patrick has been a consistent force, averaging 17.1 points over his last six games. He posted 15 points and five assists in the loss to McNeese State.

Houston Christian (5-10) enters on a six-game skid, most recently an 81-65 home loss to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Monday. The Huskies have not won since Dec. 6 and are 1-7 in road games. Guard Demarco Bethea, who scored a team-high 14 points in the loss to Corpus Christi, will be a key figure if HCU is to challenge the conference frontrunner. The Huskies have lost their last three games by an average of 18.3 points.

Stephen F. Austin’s defense, which has held opponents to an average of 62.1 points at home, will test a Houston Christian offense averaging just 68.1 points during its losing streak. The Lumberjacks won both meetings last season by an average margin of 22.5 points.

This game opens a pivotal two-game Texas road swing for the Huskies, who play at Lamar on Monday. Stephen F. Austin remains at home to host Incarnate Word on Monday.