ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — A pair of teams heading in opposite directions will meet with potential postseason implications on the line when the Illinois-Chicago Flames face the Drake Bulldogs in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Saturday at Enterprise Center.

The Flames (18-14) enter with momentum, having won four of their last five, including a 94-80 road victory at Murray State on Friday. UIC has already beaten Drake twice this season, an 80-70 win in Des Moines on Feb. 12 and a 74-67 home victory on Jan. 17.

Drake (14-19) snapped a five-game losing streak with back-to-back road wins this week, most notably a 100-79 offensive explosion at Belmont on Friday. The Bulldogs will need to continue that hot shooting to challenge the Flames.

A key matchup will feature two of the Missouri Valley Conference’s top performers. Drake is led by guard Owen Larson, who is coming off a stellar 25-point, 8-rebound, 8-assist performance against Belmont. Over his last four games, Larson is averaging 18 points and 4.5 assists.

For Illinois-Chicago, forward Mekhi Lowery provides a versatile threat. He scored 17 points with four assists in Friday’s win and was instrumental in the previous victory over Drake with 12 points. Lowery’s defensive presence, averaging over a block per game in recent contests, will be crucial against a suddenly potent Drake offense that saw Jalen Quinn score 31 points alongside Larson’s effort on Friday.

Interstat’s ELO system gives Illinois-Chicago a 54.6% probability to win. The over/under is set at 144.5 points, a figure both teams have exceeded in their most recent outings.

The neutral-site game in St. Louis offers Illinois-Chicago a chance to solidify its winning record and bolster its resume, while Drake seeks to build a late-season surge and secure a third consecutive victory.