BOSTON (Interstat) — A surging William & Mary squad looks to continue its climb up the Colonial Athletic Association standings when it visits struggling Northeastern on Thursday night at Matthews Arena. The Tribe (15-9) have won five of their last eight games and sit in the upper tier of the conference. They are coming off a narrow 77-74 road loss at Hampton on Saturday, a game where guard Ryan Jackson scored 18 points. Jackson has been a key contributor, averaging 11.7 points over his last seven contests. In contrast, the Huskies (6-17) are mired in a difficult season, having lost 10 of their last 11 games. Their most recent outing was a 69-55 defeat at Stony Brook. Guard Mike Loughnane has been a bright spot, averaging 14.4 points over his last seven games, including a 24-point effort against College of Charleston. The matchup features a stark contrast in trajectories. William & Mary’s balanced attack, which saw Chase Lowe and Reese Miller join Jackson as productive players in the Hampton loss, will test a Northeastern defense allowing an average of 80.3 points per game during its 1-10 skid. Historically, games at Matthews Arena have been a challenge for the Tribe, but the Huskies have managed only one home conference win this season. Northeastern will rely heavily on Loughnane’s scoring and playmaking to snap its slump. Thursday’s contest is the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams, with the rematch scheduled for Feb. 26 in Williamsburg, Virginia. For William & Mary, it represents a chance to solidify its standing, while Northeastern seeks a desperately needed turnaround as the conference schedule enters its final weeks.