HOWARD, Texas (Interstat) — A surging Howard College men’s basketball team will look to rebound from a rare loss when it hosts a Western Texas College squad seeking revenge Thursday night.

The Hawks (20-4), one of the region’s top junior college programs, welcome the Westerners (10-12) to the Dorothy Garrett Coliseum for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff. Howard enters having won seven of its last eight games, though it is coming off an 80-64 road defeat at New Mexico on Feb. 12. Kuai Deng led the Hawks in that contest with 15 points and eight rebounds.

Howard’s strength has been its consistency, boasting a perfect 11-0 record at home this season. Its defense has been particularly stifling, holding opponents to an average of 66.2 points per game.

Western Texas, meanwhile, has struggled for momentum, dropping three of its last four games. Its most recent outing was a 64-60 loss at Odessa on Monday. The Westerners will be fueled by the memory of a lopsided 72-47 home loss to these same Hawks just one month ago, on Jan. 19.

The visitor’s hopes will rest heavily on the hot hand of guard Isak Homelius. He is averaging 25 points over his last five games, including explosive performances of 37 and 32 points in victories over Frank Phillips and Midland, respectively. In the loss to Odessa, he poured in 30 points.

For Howard, forward Kuai Deng provides a versatile threat. He has recorded three double-doubles in his last seven games and is averaging 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per contest during that stretch. His presence on both ends of the floor will be central to the Hawks’ game plan.

The matchup pits Howard’s formidable home-court advantage and balanced attack against a Western Texas team reliant on Homelius’s scoring prowess. A Hawks victory would solidify their standing near the top of the conference, while an upset by the Westerners could provide a crucial late-season signature win.