LEWISBURG, Pa. (Interstat) — A surging Army team looks to continue its march toward the Patriot League postseason when it visits struggling Bucknell in a women’s basketball matchup Wednesday night at Sojka Pavilion.

The Black Knights (22-6 overall) enter the contest as one of the conference’s hottest teams, having won seven of their last eight games. Their most recent outing was a commanding 61-42 victory over Lafayette on Saturday. Bucknell (10-17), meanwhile, snapped a three-game skid with a 57-45 home win over Lehigh that same day, but has found consistency hard to come by this season.

Army, which sits near the top of the league standings, dominated the first meeting between these teams on Jan. 21, winning 64-44 at West Point. The Black Knights’ defense has been a hallmark, holding opponents under 50 points in four of their last five victories.

A key player for Army is guard Kya Smith, who is coming off an 18-point performance against Lafayette. Over her last seven games, Smith has showcased versatile production, including a triple-double threat of 17 points, 11 rebounds and four assists against American on Feb. 14, and a near triple-double of 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists at Lafayette on Feb. 7.

Bucknell will counter with guard Ella Kreuzer, who led the Bison with 12 points and five assists in the win over Lehigh. Kreuzer’s playing time and production have fluctuated recently, but she provides a scoring spark when on the floor.

For the Bison to pull an upset, they must solve an Army defense that has been stifling. Bucknell’s offense has been held under 45 points in three of its last six games. Protecting home court at Sojka Pavilion, where they are 7-6 this season, will be crucial for the Bison to build momentum before the conference tournament.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST Wednesday. The game marks the final regular-season home contest for Bucknell.