SAN FRANCISCO (Interstat) — A surging San Francisco women’s basketball team looks to continue its climb in the West Coast Conference standings when it hosts a struggling Pacific squad on Saturday at War Memorial Gymnasium.

The Dons (11-7 overall) enter having won four of their last five, including an impressive 85-72 road victory at Washington State last Saturday. They are led by dynamic guard Aina Cargol, who is averaging 15.1 points and 6.1 assists per game. She posted 21 points and seven assists in the win over the Cougars and has been a consistent catalyst for the San Francisco offense.

Pacific (7-11) seeks to snap a five-game losing skid, its most recent a 74-54 home loss to Loyola Marymount. The Tigers’ hopes rest heavily on the shoulders of guard Winner Bartholomew, who is averaging 16.4 points per game. Bartholomew exploded for a career-high 28 points in the loss to LMU but will need more support from her teammates to challenge the Dons.

The matchup pits two teams on opposite trajectories. San Francisco has found its rhythm in conference play with a 4-2 record, showcasing resilience in close wins over Portland and San Diego. Pacific has dropped its first five WCC contests, often struggling offensively, failing to reach 65 points in any of those losses.

Defense will be a key factor for the Dons, who must contain Bartholomew’s scoring bursts. For the Tigers, finding a secondary scoring option behind Bartholomew and improving their perimeter defense against Cargol’s playmaking are urgent priorities.

Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon in San Francisco. The teams will meet again in Stockton on Feb. 19.