SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — A struggling Grossmont men’s basketball team seeks to reverse its fortunes Wednesday when it opens Pacific Coast Athletic Conference play on the road against a surging San Diego City College.

The Griffins (1-9) enter the league opener mired in an eight-game losing streak, most recently a 100-62 home defeat to Santa Ana on Saturday. The Knights (7-4) have won five of their last seven, though they are coming off a tough 71-68 overtime loss to Saddleback.

The matchup presents a stark contrast in season trajectories. Grossmont’s lone win came back on Nov. 19, a 98-84 victory at El Camino. Since then, the Griffins have struggled defensively, allowing an average of 91.6 points during their skid.

San Diego City has found a rhythm behind forward Dylan Griffin, a consistent force who is averaging 17.2 points and 6.5 rebounds over his last seven games. Griffin is coming off a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double in the overtime loss and will be a primary focus for the Grossmont defense.

The Griffins will look to sophomore guard Zeid Salem to provide a scoring spark. Salem erupted for 21 points in just 23 minutes off the bench in the loss to Santa Ana, his highest output since the season-opening win. His performance will be critical for a Grossmont offense that has been held under 80 points in six of its nine losses.

Historically, conference openers level the playing field, but the Knights will be heavily favored at home. San Diego City’s defense, which has held opponents to 68 points or fewer in four of its seven wins, will aim to stifle Salem and extend Grossmont’s woes.

Wednesday’s tip-off is set for 5 p.m. at San Diego City College. The game marks the first of two regular-season meetings between the PCAC rivals, with the rematch scheduled for Jan. 26 in El Cajon.