CEDAR CITY, Utah (Interstat) — A surging Utah Valley squad looks to continue its climb up the Western Athletic Conference standings when it visits struggling Southern Utah for a men’s basketball rematch Wednesday night at Centrum Arena.

The Wolverines (15-4, 4-1 WAC) have won five of their last six, including a decisive 89-72 home victory over these same Thunderbirds just two weeks ago on Jan. 8. Southern Utah (6-13, 2-3), meanwhile, has shown recent signs of life, snapping a five-game skid with an overtime win over Tarleton State and a 74-52 rout of Abilene Christian in its last outing.

Utah Valley is led by dynamic guard Trevan Leonhardt, who is averaging 17.0 points and 6.2 assists over his last five games. He scored 26 points and dished seven assists in a win over Utah Tech on Jan. 10 and followed with 14 points and six assists in Saturday’s 86-74 victory over Texas-Arlington.

Southern Utah will counter with forward Isaiah Cottrell, who posted 13 points, four assists and four blocks in the win over Abilene Christian. His production will be key for a Thunderbirds team seeking more consistency after being held under 60 points in two of its last four games.

The Wolverines’ balanced attack, which also features Jackson Holcombe and Tyler Hendricks, presents a major challenge for a Southern Utah defense allowing 78.2 points per game. Utah Valley averages 82.6 points and shoots 48.2% from the field.

Southern Utah must improve its ball security after committing 15 turnovers in the first meeting, which Utah Valley converted into 21 points. The Thunderbirds will also need a stronger performance on the boards after being outrebounded 38-28 in the Jan. 8 loss.

Wednesday’s contest is the second of two scheduled regular-season meetings. The in-state conference rivals are slated to meet again in Cedar City on March 5 in the regular-season finale for both teams.