BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Interstat) — A pair of Southern Conference teams trending in opposite directions will meet Saturday when the Mercer Bears visit the Samford Bulldogs at Pete Hanna Center.

Mercer (15-9) looks to rebound from a narrow road loss, while Samford (12-12) aims to build on a recent win and climb back to .500 in league play. The Bears fell 79-75 at Chattanooga on Thursday despite 18 points from standout forward Armani Mighty. Samford handled The Citadel 78-64 the same night, led by 13 points and eight assists from guard Keaton Norris.

The matchup features two of the conference’s key players. Mercer’s Mighty has been a dominant force, averaging 17.6 points over his last eight games and coming off a 20-point, 11-rebound performance in a win over Wofford on Jan. 10. His interior presence will challenge a Samford defense that has been inconsistent.

For the Bulldogs, Norris serves as the engine. The guard is averaging 6.4 assists over his last five contests, facilitating an offense that has shown flashes of high efficiency, including an 88-point outing at Western Carolina last Sunday.

Mercer has won five of its last seven, showcasing a potent offense that has scored 95 or more points four times in that stretch. Samford has struggled for consistency, alternating wins and losses in its last six games. The Bulldogs will need a strong defensive effort to slow a Mercer team that leads the SoCon in scoring offense during conference play.

Historically, this series has been tightly contested, adding another layer to Saturday’s meeting. The teams will complete a regular-season series rematch in Macon, Georgia, on Feb. 21.

Saturday’s winner will gain crucial momentum in the conference standings as the regular season enters its final month. Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. EST.