NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (Interstat) — A key Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference rematch awaits Thursday when the Iona Gaels visit the Merrimack Warriors in women’s basketball.

The Gaels (13-7) look to complete a regular-season sweep after defeating the Warriors 58-51 in New Rochelle on Jan. 14. Merrimack (10-9) seeks to defend its home court at Volpe Athletic Center and level the series.

Iona enters on a two-game win streak, most recently edging Marist 65-64 on Saturday. The Gaels have been led by the consistent play of Isabellah Middleton, who scored 13 points with seven rebounds in that victory. Over her last eight games, Middleton has showcased her versatility with performances like a 26-point outing against Saint Peter’s and a 13-rebound game at Canisius.

Merrimack counters with its own standout in Lydia Melashenko. The Warriors are coming off an 81-68 road win at Mount Saint Mary’s, where Melashenko filled the stat sheet with 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. She is a potent scoring threat, having dropped 28 points in a win at Saint Peter’s on Jan. 22. Her performance will be pivotal as Merrimack looks to improve upon its 5-point loss at Iona earlier this month.

The matchup features contrasting momentum. Iona has won five of its last seven, relying on a defense that held Rider to 40 points last week. Merrimack has shown resilience, winning three of its last four, with the lone loss in that stretch coming against Quinnipiac.

Thursday’s contest is a critical conference clash for positioning. Iona aims to solidify its winning record, while Merrimack looks to climb above .500. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Merrimack’s Volpe Athletic Center.