LORETTO, Pa. (Interstat) — Two men’s basketball teams seeking to halt extended slides will meet Friday when Saint Francis (PA) hosts Chicago State in a non-conference matchup organized by the Northeast Conference. The game at DeGol Arena pits the Red Flash (5-14) against the Cougars (2-17), with both programs mired in difficult seasons. Saint Francis (PA) snapped a two-game skid with a 63-61 home win over Stonehill on Monday. Chicago State has lost seven straight, most recently a 62-56 home defeat to New Haven on Monday. A key matchup will feature two of the league’s top guards. Chicago State’s CJ Ray is coming off a 17-point effort in 39 minutes against New Haven and has been a consistent scorer, including a 27-point, 5-rebound, 4-assist performance in an overtime loss at Stonehill on Jan. 10. For the Red Flash, Skylar Wicks provides versatile production. He nearly posted a double-double in the win over Stonehill, finishing with 11 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. Wicks also scored 24 points in a win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Jan. 4. The Cougars’ struggles have been marked by offensive inconsistency during their losing streak, failing to reach 65 points in five of the seven losses. Saint Francis (PA) has shown flashes, with three of its five wins coming in NEC-play, but has also endured blowout losses, including a 98-90 home defeat to Central Connecticut last Saturday. This contest begins a home-and-home series between the teams, who will meet again in Chicago on Jan. 29. For now, both see Friday as a critical opportunity to build momentum. The Red Flash will look to protect their home floor, where they are 4-4 this season, while the Cougars aim to find a winning formula on the road, where they are 1-10. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.