LOWELL, Mass. (Interstat) — A crucial America East Conference rematch is set for Thursday night when the New Hampshire Wildcats visit the Massachusetts-Lowell River Hawks at Costello Athletic Center. The Wildcats (8-16, 4-7 America East) will look to complete a regular-season sweep after edging the River Hawks 66-61 in Durham on Jan. 29. Massachusetts-Lowell (11-15, 5-6) seeks to defend its home court and improve its conference tournament positioning in the tightly packed league standings. New Hampshire enters on a four-game skid, including an 85-63 home loss to Maryland-Baltimore County on Feb. 14. The Wildcats will lean on forward Belal El Shakery, who was dominant in the first meeting with nine points and two assists in 31 minutes. El Shakery is coming off a 14-rebound performance against UMBC and has averaged 10.3 points over his last seven games. The River Hawks have been inconsistent but are fresh off one of their best performances of the season, an 88-69 rout of Bryant on Feb. 12. Guard Xavier Spencer, who scored 15 points in the loss at New Hampshire, erupted for 22 points in that victory. He has averaged 17.3 points over his last three contests, providing a key scoring punch. Both teams have struggled for consistency in February. Since their first matchup, New Hampshire is 1-4, while Massachusetts-Lowell has gone 2-3. The River Hawks hold a slight edge in the conference standings, making a home win critical for their seeding hopes. New Hampshire, meanwhile, aims to reignite its season and build momentum for the final stretch. The game tips off at 7 p.m. EST. Massachusetts-Lowell will host Binghamton on Saturday, while New Hampshire returns home to face Maine.