POCATELLO, Idaho (Interstat) — A surging Northern Arizona team riding its best stretch of the season will face a formidable Idaho State squad looking to rebound at home in a Big Sky Conference women’s basketball matchup Saturday at Holt Arena.

The Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (6-10, 2-1 Big Sky) have won four of their last five games, including a commanding 71-58 road victory at Weber State on Thursday. The Idaho State Bengals (9-5, 2-1), meanwhile, aim to bounce back from a 67-56 home loss to Northern Colorado that same night.

The game features a compelling clash of star guards. Northern Arizona is powered by the hot hand of Naomi White, who is coming off a career-high 37-point performance against Weber State. Over her last seven games, White is averaging 25.3 points, including four games of 27 points or more. Her scoring prowess has been the catalyst for the Lumberjacks’ recent turnaround.

Idaho State will counter with the versatile Kacey Spink, who nearly posted a triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a win at Utah Valley last month. Spink, who leads the Bengals in assists, is a key facilitator for an Idaho State offense that has struggled at times, scoring 67 points or fewer in six of its last seven games.

The Bengals have been strong defensively, however, holding opponents to 61 points or fewer in three of their last five contests. They will face a significant test in containing White and a Northern Arizona offense that has averaged 75.2 points during its 4-1 run.

Idaho State holds a clear advantage in the overall season record and will benefit from returning to Holt Arena, where they are 5-2 this season. Northern Arizona, just 2-7 on the road, will look to build on the momentum from its impressive win in Ogden.

Saturday’s contest is the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams. They will meet again in Flagstaff on Feb. 5.