MINNEAPOLIS (Interstat) — Two teams looking to salvage late-season momentum will meet Saturday when the Minnesota Golden Gophers host the Northwestern Wildcats in a Big Ten men’s basketball regular-season finale at Williams Arena.

Both teams enter with losing records, but recent performances suggest a competitive matchup. Minnesota (14-16, 8-11 Big Ten) seeks to rebound from a 77-47 road loss to Indiana on Wednesday. Northwestern (13-17, 7-12) is coming off a narrow 70-66 home defeat to Purdue on March 4.

The game will feature a marquee scoring duel between two of the conference’s hottest players. Northwestern’s Nick Martinelli has been on a tear, averaging 24.6 points over his last seven games. He scored 28 points in the loss to Purdue and has topped 20 points in six of those contests.

Minnesota will counter with Cade Tyson, who has been a consistent offensive force. Tyson is averaging 19.3 points over his last seven outings, including a 27-point, 10-rebound performance in a win over Rutgers on Feb. 21. He scored 21 points in the loss to Indiana.

The Golden Gophers won the first meeting this season, 84-78, in Evanston on Jan. 3. Minnesota has found success at home recently, winning three of its last four at Williams Arena, including a 78-73 victory over UCLA on Feb. 28. Northwestern, however, has shown resilience with road wins at Indiana and Oregon in February.

With the Big Ten Tournament looming next week, both teams aim to build confidence. For Northwestern, a win would provide a positive end to a difficult season. For Minnesota, finishing above .500 at home in conference play remains an attainable goal. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CST Saturday.