ASHEVILLE, N.C. (Interstat) — A tightly contested Big South Conference race will see two teams jockeying for position clash on Saturday when the UNC Asheville Bulldogs host the Presbyterian Blue Hose at Kimmel Arena. Both teams enter the Valentine’s Day matchup with nearly identical records and plenty to prove. Presbyterian (12-13) holds a slim one-game lead over UNC Asheville (11-13) in the conference standings. The Bulldogs will be looking for redemption after a narrow 71-70 road loss to the Blue Hose just one month ago on Jan. 14. That prior meeting sets the stage for a compelling rematch. Presbyterian has shown resilience, coming off a 68-62 home victory over Gardner-Webb on Feb. 7. The Blue Hose are led by forward Jaylen Peterson, who is coming off a dominant double-double performance in that win, logging 14 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in 38 minutes. Peterson has been a consistent interior force, averaging 13.4 points and 7.2 rebounds over his last five contests. UNC Asheville counters with its own high-scoring guard in Kameron Taylor. The Bulldogs’ standout is averaging 24.2 points per game over his last five outings, including a 27-point effort at South Carolina Upstate on Jan. 21. Taylor was instrumental in the team’s most recent win, a 76-67 victory over Upstate on Feb. 4, where he posted 21 points and five assists. The Bulldogs have found a rhythm at home, winning their last two games at Kimmel Arena by an average of 14.5 points. Presbyterian, however, has proven it can win on the road in conference play, having secured a decisive 92-55 victory at Gardner-Webb last month. With both teams clustered in the middle of the Big South standings, Saturday’s result will carry significant weight for postseason seeding. The game tips off at 4:30 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on ESPN+.