ITHACA, N.Y. (Interstat) — A critical Ivy League men’s basketball matchup with postseason implications is set for Saturday when Harvard hosts Penn at Ben Light Gymnasium.

The Crimson (17-11) and Quakers (16-11) enter the regular-season finale with nearly identical records and split their two meetings this season, each winning on the other’s home floor by a single possession. Harvard edged Penn 64-63 on Jan. 19, and the Quakers returned the favor with a 64-61 victory on Feb. 28.

Saturday’s winner will solidify its position for the Ivy League Tournament, adding urgency to an already tight rivalry. Harvard has been installed as a 2.5-point favorite, with the over/under set at 135.5 points.

Penn arrives riding a three-game winning streak, including an 82-61 road rout of Brown last Friday. The Quakers are powered by forward TJ Power, who is coming off a 17-point performance against Brown and erupted for 38 points in a win over Dartmouth on Feb. 27. In the Feb. 28 win over Harvard, Power contributed 9 points.

Harvard counters with its own standout in guard Chandler Pigge, who is fresh from a season-high 26-point effort in an 81-71 victory over Columbia last Friday. Pigge was held to 9 points in the loss at Penn but has been a consistent facilitator, nearly recording a triple-double with 7 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists in a win at Cornell on Feb. 21.

Both teams have shown resilience in close games. Penn’s recent surge includes four wins in its last five contests. Harvard has won three of its last four, with the lone loss being the narrow defeat in Philadelphia.

The neutral-site setting in Ithaca adds another layer to a contest that will likely hinge on which star can tip the scales. Power’s interior presence for Penn will clash with Pigge’s perimeter scoring and playmaking for Harvard, setting the stage for a tense, season-defining Ivy League duel.