ESPOO (Interstat) — Kouvottaret and Espoo Team will meet Saturday in a women’s professional basketball game, with both teams carrying 4-1 season records into the matchup. Espoo Team will be the home team. Kouvottaret enters after a recent 86-82 loss at PeKa. Linda Lotta Lehtoranta led Kouvottaret with 20 points, three rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes, while Emma Lampen added 21 points, two rebounds and five assists and Cayro Lyza Toomingas scored 13 points with five rebounds and two blocks. Lehtoranta is the player to watch for Kouvottaret. In her most recent performance, she scored 20 points to go with three rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes. Kouvottaret opened the season with a 96-89 home win against Torpan Pojat Helsinki, then added a 72-55 road win at Tapiolan Honka, a 63-57 home win against Pyrinto and a 78-72 road win at Vimpelin Veto. Kouvottaret won its first four games before the loss at PeKa, which came despite Lehtoranta’s 20-point effort. The loss at PeKa was Kouvottaret’s first defeat of the season. Kouvottaret’s four wins have come by margins of seven, 17, six and six points. Lehtoranta, Lampen and Toomingas all scored in double figures in the recent loss.

Espoo Team also enters at 4-1 after a 70-65 road win at Pyrinto. Emili Melnikova led Espoo Team with 18 points, six rebounds, three assists and one block in 32 minutes. Ella Vainio scored nine points with three rebounds and two assists, and Alessia Kilpelainen added nine points and eight rebounds. Melnikova is the player to watch for Espoo Team. She has been productive recently, including an 18-point, 10-rebound and seven-assist outing in a 110-64 home win against Tapiolan Honka and a 12-point, four-rebound and seven-assist effort in a 68-67 road win at Torpan Pojat Helsinki. Espoo Team’s other wins this season include a 97-89 home victory against BC Nokia. Espoo Team opened the season with a 97-70 loss at HBA-Marsky Helsinki and has won four straight since. Espoo Team’s most recent result was its fourth consecutive victory. Melnikova has scored in double figures in each of her three listed recent performances. Both teams have won four of their first five games this season. The teams are scheduled to meet again later this season. The game will be played at Espoo Team’s home court.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Espoo Team 80, Kouvottaret 76. Interstat’s ELO system gives Espoo Team a 63.5 percent probability to win. Espoo Team is the pregame favorite with a spread of -2.5, and the over/under is 155.