EVANSVILLE, Ind. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking to halt prolonged slides will meet Friday when the Western Illinois Leathernecks visit the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles in an Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball game.

Both squads enter the contest at the Physical Activities Center mired in extended losing streaks. Western Illinois (4-16) has lost seven consecutive games, while Southern Indiana (4-14) has dropped three straight and nine of its last 10.

The matchup offers a chance for one struggling program to secure a rare conference victory. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Southern Indiana holds a 64.10 percent probability to win on its home floor.

The game will feature two of the league’s top scorers. Western Illinois guard Lucas Lorenzen has been a consistent bright spot, averaging 18.0 points per game over his last seven contests. He is coming off a 26-point performance in a 71-66 loss at Morehead State on Thursday.

Southern Indiana will counter with guard Amaree Brown, who has scored 15 or more points in four of his last five outings. He tallied 17 points in the Screaming Eagles’ 59-51 overtime loss to Eastern Illinois on Thursday.

Western Illinois’s recent skid includes several narrow defeats, with three losses by five points or fewer. Southern Indiana has struggled at home, with a 2-6 record in Evansville this season.

The Leathernecks’ offense, heavily reliant on Lorenzen, will be tested by a Southern Indiana defense allowing 73.6 points per game. The Screaming Eagles will look to improve their offensive efficiency after shooting just 30.4% from the field in their last game.

Friday’s contest is the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams. They are scheduled to play again in Macomb, Illinois, on Feb. 19.