CHARLESTON, S.C. (Interstat) — The Mercer Bears will look to continue their push in the Southern Conference standings when they visit The Citadel Bulldogs on Saturday at McAlister Field House. Mercer (16-10, 7-6 Southern) enters the Valentine’s Day matinee having won four of its last six games, most recently a 69-64 home victory over Furman on Wednesday. The Citadel (9-17, 4-9) seeks to rebound from a difficult 87-49 road loss at Western Carolina that same night. The Bears, who sit in the middle of the conference table, have been powered by the dynamic play of guard Baraka Okojie. The standout has scored 19 or more points in seven consecutive games, averaging 22.9 points per contest during that torrid stretch. He dropped 25 points in the win over Furman and has been a consistent offensive engine for Mercer. For the Bulldogs, forward Sola Adebisi has been a key contributor. He posted 18 points and five rebounds in a road win at Chattanooga on Feb. 7 and scored 22 points in an overtime victory over Furman on Jan. 21. Citadel’s season has been marked by close contests, with five of its conference games requiring overtime. History heavily favors Mercer in this matchup. When the teams met in Macon, Georgia, on Jan. 7, the Bears delivered a dominant 101-63 performance. The Bulldogs will aim to defend their home court and split the season series, while Mercer looks to solidify its position for the upcoming conference tournament. Tipoff is scheduled for Saturday afternoon in Charleston. The game will be a critical test for The Citadel’s defense against one of the league’s hottest players in Okojie, and a chance for Mercer to improve its road record as the regular season enters its final weeks.