TONKAWA, Okla. (Interstat) — Two Oklahoma junior college men’s basketball teams seeking momentum for the final stretch of the season will meet Monday when the Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa Mavericks host the Eastern Oklahoma State Mountaineers.

The matchup at the NOC Tonkawa gymnasium features teams with nearly identical records. The visiting Mountaineers enter at 7-11 overall, while the home Mavericks are 8-13. Both squads are looking to build on sporadic recent success.

Eastern Oklahoma State arrives with some confidence after a 70-57 home victory over Western Oklahoma State on Feb. 26. That win snapped a three-game skid for the Mountaineers. Their season has been marked by inconsistency, but they have shown the ability to score in bursts, as evidenced by a 97-point outing against Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in January.

Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa aims to rebound from a 95-80 home loss to Connors State on Feb. 26. The Mavericks have lost three of their last four games. A key player to watch is MJ Miller, who turned in a standout performance in a loss to Seminole State on Feb. 16, recording 21 points and 11 assists. His playmaking will be central to the Mavericks’ offense.

The teams last faced each other less than a month ago on Feb. 7 in Wilburton, with Eastern Oklahoma State securing an 85-78 home victory. That result will likely be fresh in the minds of both teams, providing the Mavericks with a motivation for revenge on their home court and the Mountaineers with a blueprint for success.

With both teams having just one game scheduled after this—Eastern Oklahoma State at Seminole State on Thursday and Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa at Murray State on Thursday—this contest represents a critical opportunity to gain positive traction before the season concludes. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tipoff.