CONWAY, S.C. (Interstat) — A pivotal Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball matchup with postseason implications is set for Saturday when the Marshall Thundering Herd visits the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at HTC Center. Marshall (17-10) enters having won three of its last four, including an 84-80 home victory over South Alabama on Monday. Coastal Carolina (16-12) looks to rebound from a narrow 67-65 home loss to James Madison on Wednesday. The game features a compelling rematch from Jan. 14, when the Chanticleers edged the Thundering Herd 85-83 in Huntington, West Virginia. Saturday’s contest could prove critical for seeding in the upcoming conference tournament. A key matchup will be between two of the league’s top scorers. Marshall’s Wyatt Fricks is averaging 21.3 points over his last six games, coming off a 27-point, five-block performance against South Alabama. For Coastal Carolina, Joshua Beadle has been on a tear, scoring 29 and 31 points in his last two outings, respectively. The Thundering Herd have shown resilience in close games, with three of their last five wins decided by four points or fewer. However, road consistency has been an issue, as seen in a 101-87 loss at Georgia Southern on Feb. 14. Coastal Carolina has experienced similar volatility, mixing a triple-overtime win over Massachusetts with recent tight losses to Arkansas State and James Madison. The Chanticleers will rely on home-court advantage, where they are 11-4 this season. Marshall’s offense, facilitated by guards Jalen Speer and Noah Otshudi, will test a Coastal Carolina defense that has allowed an average of 68.2 points in conference play. Conversely, containing Beadle’s hot hand will be a primary focus for the Thundering Herd. Tipoff is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Conway.