KENT, Ohio (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum in the back half of their conference schedules will meet Saturday when the Appalachian State Mountaineers visit the Kent State Golden Flashes in a non-conference women’s basketball matchup.

Both teams enter the 2 p.m. EST tipoff at Memorial Athletics Center with identical 10-12 overall records. Appalachian State, out of the Sun Belt Conference, has lost three of its last four, most recently falling 69-59 at Troy on Wednesday. Kent State, from the Mid-American Conference, is coming off a 73-64 home victory over Bowling Green that same night.

The game features two of the region’s standout guards in Appalachian State’s Daisia Mitchell and Kent State’s Mya Babbitt. Mitchell has been a consistent scorer for the Mountaineers, averaging 12.4 points over her last seven games, including a 17-point performance in a win over South Alabama on Jan. 29. Her ability to contribute across the board will be key for Appalachian State’s offense.

Babbitt, however, enters on a torrid scoring pace for the Golden Flashes. She dropped 25 points in the win over Bowling Green and poured in a season-high 28 in a 101-91 shootout loss to Ball State on Feb. 1. Over her last five games, she is averaging 22.6 points, establishing herself as Kent State’s primary offensive weapon.

Appalachian State will look to counter with balance, as evidenced in the Troy loss where Jada Burton (10 points) and Elena Pericic (11 points) joined Mitchell in double figures. The Mountaineers have struggled on the road this season, with a 2-7 record in true away games.

Kent State has found more success at home, going 7-4 in Kent this season. Their offense has been potent, scoring 73 points or more in four of their last five contests. Containing Babbitt and the Golden Flashes’ attack will be the central defensive challenge for Appalachian State.

This inter-conference clash offers both teams a chance to reach .500 and build confidence before returning to their respective league slates. Appalachian State visits James Madison next Wednesday, while Kent State travels to Ohio next Saturday.