SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (Interstat) — A surging UC San Diego women’s basketball team looks to solidify its standing Saturday when it visits struggling Cal Poly in a Big West Conference matchup at Robert Mott Gym.

The Tritons (18-8 overall) enter the final stretch of the regular season as one of the league’s hottest teams, having won five of their last seven games. Their most recent outing was a narrow 70-68 home loss to UC Irvine on Feb. 21, which snapped a three-game winning streak. UC San Diego’s offense has been potent, scoring 79 or more points in three of its last six contests.

Cal Poly (3-23) seeks to halt a seven-game losing skid. The Mustangs have found wins elusive all season, with their last victory coming on Jan. 17. They are coming off a 71-54 home loss to Hawaii on Feb. 19, a game in which they trailed by 20 at halftime.

A key matchup will feature two of the conference’s top scorers. UC San Diego is led by guard Makayla Rose, who is averaging 18.5 points per game over her last six outings. She scored 28 points in a win over Hawaii on Feb. 7 and logged 54 minutes in a triple-overtime loss at UC Davis on Feb. 12.

Cal Poly will counter with guard Charish Thompson, who has been a bright spot during the difficult season. Thompson has scored 20 or more points in four of her last six games, including a 22-point performance against Hawaii.

The Tritons won the first meeting this season decisively, 75-54, at home on Jan. 1. UC San Diego’s defense held Cal Poly to 32.8% shooting from the field in that game.

With the Big West tournament approaching, UC San Diego aims to secure a favorable seed, while Cal Poly looks to build momentum and find a path to an upset on its home floor. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. PST on Saturday, Feb. 28.