SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Interstat) — A pivotal Conference USA women’s basketball matchup features two teams riding opposite momentum waves as the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters visit the Missouri State Lady Bears on Thursday night at JQH Arena.

Louisiana Tech (11-5) enters on a four-game winning streak, including a 79-65 victory over Western Kentucky last Saturday. The Lady Techsters have found their rhythm in conference play, using balanced scoring and staunch defense, holding three of their last four opponents under 65 points.

Missouri State (12-6), meanwhile, looks to rebound from a 63-56 road loss at New Mexico State that snapped a four-game win streak. The Lady Bears have been strong at home this season and will rely on that advantage in a tight conference race.

A key matchup will be at guard, where Louisiana Tech’s Alexia Weaver faces Missouri State’s Lainie Douglas. Weaver, a dynamic scorer and distributor, is coming off a 16-point effort against Western Kentucky and has been a consistent catalyst during the win streak. Douglas provides a versatile threat for the Lady Bears, averaging 14.2 points over her last five games. She scored 17 points with six rebounds in the loss to New Mexico State.

Louisiana Tech’s recent surge has been a team effort. Alongside Weaver, Kaleigh Thompson and Jordan Marshall each added 14 points in the win over Western Kentucky. Missouri State counters with its own depth, as evidenced by Kaemyn Bekemeier’s 11 points and seven rebounds in the team’s last outing.

The game is the first of a regular-season series, with the rematch scheduled for Feb. 14 in Ruston, La. Both teams face quick turnarounds, with Louisiana Tech traveling to face Florida International on Saturday and Missouri State hosting Sam Houston.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Central at JQH Arena. The contest will be a test of whether Louisiana Tech’s hot streak can travel or if Missouri State can reassert its form in front of a home crowd.