NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking to reverse early-season struggles will meet Wednesday when the Southern Utah Thunderbirds face the Washington State Cougars in a non-conference men’s basketball game at Beasley Coliseum.

Both teams enter the contest with identical 1-3 records. Southern Utah is coming off an 85-90 road loss to Omaha on Saturday. The Thunderbirds were led in that game by Zach Bell, who scored 20 points, and Jaiden Feroah, who added 16 points and two blocks. Their lone win was a dominant 118-60 victory over Bethesda on Nov. 11.

Washington State also looks to rebound from a loss in its last outing, an 81-69 defeat to Washington on Friday. Key performers for the Cougars in that game included Eemeli Yalaho with 15 points and Ace Glass lll, who contributed 12 points and two assists. The Cougars’ single victory this season came against Saint Thomas (Minn.) on Nov. 10.

The game will be a test for both squads’ defenses. Southern Utah has allowed an average of 84.5 points in its three losses, while Washington State has conceded 81 points per game in its defeats.

Wednesday’s matchup is the first of a two-game trip to Nebraska for the Thunderbirds. Washington State will look to defend its home court before embarking on a road trip to face Chaminade on Nov. 24.