EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (Interstat) — A pivotal Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball matchup is set for Saturday at Vadalabene Center as the SIU Edwardsville Cougars host the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks. The game features two of the league’s top teams battling for postseason positioning. Tennessee-Martin (19-7) enters with a narrow lead in the standings over SIU Edwardsville (17-9). The Skyhawks won the first meeting this season, 65-59, at home on Jan. 15. Tennessee-Martin looks to rebound from a narrow 75-74 road loss to Lindenwood on Thursday. Before that, they had won four of five. Guard Pedro Santos is a key variable for the Skyhawks; he scored 19 points in a win over Southern Indiana on Feb. 5 but was held to nine points in the recent loss. SIU Edwardsville rides a wave of momentum, having won five of its last six games, including a 74-56 victory over Southeast Missouri State on Thursday. The Cougars have been bolstered by consistent play from forward Arnas Sakenis, who is coming off a 15-point, three-block performance. Sakenis has been a defensive anchor, recording multiple blocks in five of the last eight games. The matchup hinges on tempo and defense. The Skyhawks will aim to control the pace, while the Cougars, thriving at home, will rely on their defensive intensity led by Sakenis to disrupt Tennessee-Martin’s rhythm. With both teams jockeying for conference tournament seeding, Saturday’s contest carries significant weight for the final stretch of the regular season. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. CST on Feb. 14.