ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — Two men’s NAIA basketball teams seeking a rare bright spot in difficult seasons will meet Thursday when the Harris-Stowe Hornets host UHSP.

The game, scheduled for Feb. 19, 2026, features teams with a combined 5-38 record. Harris-Stowe (2-18) will look to complete a season sweep after defeating UHSP (3-20) 103-99 in a high-scoring affair on Jan. 22.

In that first meeting, Harris-Stowe’s Dimitrije Stojanovic contributed 2 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in the victory. The forward has since emerged as a primary scoring threat for the Hornets. He is coming off a 24-point, 7-rebound performance in an 89-83 loss at Crowley’s Ridge on Feb. 14, his second 20-point game in his last three outings.

UHSP will counter with guard Yigit Ekinci, a versatile playmaker who has been a consistent contributor. Over his last four games, Ekinci averaged 7.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists. In UHSP’s most recent game, a 92-52 loss at Hannibal-LaGrange on Feb. 12, he filled the stat sheet with 9 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in 32 minutes.

Both teams have struggled for consistency. UHSP’s three wins this season came in a tight 79-78 victory over Crowley’s Ridge on Feb. 5 and an 81-75 win against Williams Baptist on Feb. 7, before the recent lopsided loss. Harris-Stowe’s only other win besides the Jan. 22 result over UHSP was a 91-87 victory over Williams Baptist on Jan. 15. The Hornets have lost eight straight since.

The Jan. 22 contest suggests another potentially high-paced game. UHSP’s Landon Engelage (11 points) and Jasmin Suvalija (14 points) were key contributors in that loss and will look to provide additional support for Ekinci. For Harris-Stowe, Nashawn Davis (16 points, 8 rebounds against Crowley’s Ridge) and Umar Lawson (12 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) offer complementary scoring around Stojanovic.

With both teams near the bottom of the standings, Thursday’s matchup represents one of the final opportunities for either squad to build momentum before the season concludes.