BOONEVILLE, Miss. (Interstat) — The Northeast Mississippi Tigers will look to get back to .500 in conference play when they host the struggling Meridian Eagles in a men’s junior college basketball matchup on Thursday.

The Tigers (8-7) enter the contest following an 88-67 road loss to Pearl River on Monday. They will be heavily favored against a Meridian squad that has lost 10 of its first 11 games this season. The Eagles (1-10) are coming off a 75-63 home loss to Coahoma on Tuesday, their fourth consecutive defeat.

A key player to watch for Northeast Mississippi is forward Ezekiel Udozorh. He is coming off a strong performance in the loss to Pearl River, scoring 21 points with six rebounds in 32 minutes. Over his last five games, Udozorh has averaged 17.4 points and 5.8 rebounds, including a 26-point, 9-rebound effort in a Jan. 15 loss at Itawamba. His consistent production will be central to the Tigers’ attack.

Meridian has struggled to find consistent offense, averaging just 67.5 points per game during its current four-game skid. Their lone victory this season was an 85-64 win over Mississippi Delta on Jan. 20. Containing Udozorh and generating enough scoring to keep pace will be their primary challenges.

In the earlier meeting this season, Northeast Mississippi defeated Coahoma 81-75 on Jan. 20, while Meridian fell to Coahoma 84-64 on Dec. 4. The Tigers have shown more balance, with supporting players like Jalen Chandler (16 points vs. Pearl River) and Javion Stephen (11 points, 6 assists) providing key contributions.

For Northeast Mississippi, this game represents a critical opportunity to solidify its standing before a tough stretch that includes road games at Jones and Northwest Mississippi next week. For Meridian, it is a chance to halt a lengthy losing streak and build momentum as they prepare to host Northwest Mississippi on Monday.

Tip-off is set for Thursday night at Bonner Arnold Coliseum.