CENTRALIA, Ill. (Interstat) — Two men’s junior college basketball teams seeking to halt prolonged slides will meet Thursday when the Olney Central Blue Knights visit the Kaskaskia Blue Devils.

Both teams enter the Jan. 29 contest with identical 2-9 overall records, though Kaskaskia’s official record stands at 2-6, with a Jan. 24 result against Shawnee listed as 0-0. The matchup is a quick rematch, as the teams faced each other just one day prior on Wednesday, Jan. 28, in a game that resulted in a 0-0 score, indicating a postponement or cancellation that has been rescheduled for this date.

Olney Central has lost nine consecutive games since a 78-75 win over State Fair on Dec. 4. Their most recent outing was an 82-57 home loss to Vincennes on Jan. 21. The Blue Knights have struggled offensively during the skid, failing to reach 60 points in five of the nine losses.

A bright spot for Olney Central has been guard Braden Walters. He scored 16 points with five rebounds and two assists in a 66-59 loss at Wabash Valley on Jan. 17. His production will be critical for a team averaging just 58.5 points per game in its last four contests.

Kaskaskia has dropped five straight games since a win over Dyersburg State on Nov. 19. The Blue Devils fell 98-90 to John A Logan in their last game on Jan. 22. Defense has been an issue, as Kaskaskia has allowed an average of 84.2 points per game during its losing streak.

The game represents a key opportunity for either squad to gain momentum in region play. Following this contest, Olney Central will travel to Moberly Area on Jan. 31, while Kaskaskia is set to visit Wabash Valley on the same date.

Tipoff is scheduled for Thursday night at Kaskaskia College.