IRVINE, Calif. (Interstat) — An undefeated Ventura team faces a stiff challenge Friday when the Pirates meet Cerritos in a men’s junior college basketball game at the Irvine Valley Classic.

The Pirates (3-0) are coming off a 91-86 road victory over Canyons on Thursday, their third win in a week. Their high-powered offense has averaged 88.3 points per game in the early season.

Cerritos (1-1) evened its record with a 71-63 win at Irvine Valley on Thursday, bouncing back from a narrow 85-84 loss at Chaffey.

Despite Ventura’s perfect start, the Falcons enter the contest as a heavy favorite. Interstat’s ELO system projects Cerritos with a 90 percent probability to win the neutral-site game.

The matchup pits Ventura’s momentum against a Cerritos squad looking to build on its first victory and validate the statistical models.