CLAREMONT, Calif. (Interstat) — Wheaton (Ill.) and Pomona-Pitzer will meet in a women’s NCAA Division III basketball game Saturday at the Rains Center in Claremont, Calif., with both teams looking to build on early-season results and gain footing before their schedules turn busier.

Wheaton (Ill.) enters 1-0 after a 67-51 win at La Verne in its most recent game. Jenna Hunter led the Thunder with 23 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in 36 minutes. Chloe Kostka added 15 points, three rebounds and four assists, and Ann Magee Stradinger contributed eight points, five rebounds and four assists. Hunter is the player to watch for Wheaton (Ill.), which will look to carry its road form into its second game in as many days. The Thunder will rely on Hunter’s interior scoring and rebounding, along with backcourt production from Kostka and Stradinger, as they face a Pomona-Pitzer team playing at home. Wheaton (Ill.) will try to use its size and experience to control the paint and limit second-chance opportunities for the Sagehens.

Pomona-Pitzer is 0-1 after a 63-59 overtime loss to Pacific (Ore.) in its most recent game. Kayla Malek scored 12 points and added four rebounds and one assist in 35 minutes. Sofia Robel posted 10 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and four blocks, while Abigail Homan had 10 points, eight rebounds and one assist in 39 minutes. Malek is the player to watch for the Sagehens. Pomona-Pitzer will need another balanced effort from Malek, Robel and Homan to counter Wheaton (Ill.) after the overtime defeat. The Sagehens will also look to improve their execution in close games after letting a tight contest slip away in their opener, and they will lean on their home crowd for energy.

The matchup features two programs with contrasting early records but similar urgency. Wheaton (Ill.) has momentum after its victory and will try to start 2-0. Pomona-Pitzer will seek its first win of the season and a strong showing at the Rains Center. The Sagehens’ home crowd could provide an edge in a game that may hinge on rebounding and late-game execution. Wheaton (Ill.) is scheduled to return home for games against Olivet and Maryville (Tenn.) next week, while Pomona-Pitzer is set to travel to Bates and Tufts. The Sagehens will then return for a later home stretch that includes SUNY Canton, UC Santa Cruz, Bowdoin, Haverford and Caltech.

Interstat’s game simulator projects Pomona-Pitzer to win 58-50. Interstat’s ELO system gives Pomona-Pitzer a 57.1 percent probability of victory.