SAN FRANCISCO (Interstat) — A pivotal West Coast Conference rematch awaits Thursday when the Gonzaga Bulldogs visit the San Francisco Dons in women’s basketball at War Memorial Gymnasium.

Just two weeks removed from Gonzaga’s 82-69 home victory over San Francisco on Jan. 15, both teams enter with nearly identical records and postseason aspirations. The Bulldogs (14-7, 4-2 WCC) look to solidify their standing, while the Dons (13-7, 4-3) seek revenge and a crucial home win to even the season series.

The spotlight will be on the conference’s premier scorers. Gonzaga’s Lauren Whittaker is coming off a career-high 37 points in an overtime road loss at Oregon State last Thursday. In the teams’ first meeting, she torched the Dons for 26 points in 28 minutes. Containing her will be San Francisco’s primary defensive challenge.

San Francisco counters with Candy Edokpaigbe, who scored 24 points in the January loss at Gonzaga. She has been on a tear, averaging 23.5 points in her last two games, including a 23-point performance in a win over Pacific last Saturday. Her duel with Whittaker could decide the outcome.

Gonzaga aims to bounce back from its overtime defeat in Corvallis, which snapped a three-game winning streak. San Francisco has won three of its last four, with the lone loss in that span coming to the Bulldogs. The Dons’ defense, which allowed 82 points in the first matchup, must find an answer for a efficient Gonzaga offense that has scored 82 or more points in three of its last five games.

The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 68-19, but San Francisco has occasionally proven a tough out at home. With both teams jockeying for position behind league-leading Oregon State, Thursday’s result will carry significant weight in the WCC race.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PST. Gonzaga travels to Washington State on Saturday, while San Francisco visits Oregon State.