BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Interstat) — A surging Chattanooga squad looks to solidify its standing atop the Southern Conference when the Lady Mocs visit the Samford Bulldogs in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball matchup Thursday night. Chattanooga (18-7, 11-1 SoCon) enters Pete Hanna Center riding a three-game winning streak, including a narrow 56-54 victory over UNC Greensboro last Saturday. The Lady Mocs have dominated conference play, with their only league loss coming in a double-overtime thriller to East Tennessee State on Feb. 14. The Lady Mocs are powered by guard Caia Elisaldez, who is in the midst of a stellar season. She averaged 20.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists over her last seven games, including a 27-point effort in the double-overtime loss. Elisaldez was instrumental in the first meeting with Samford this season, posting 16 points and six assists in a 61-40 home win on Feb. 1. Samford (12-17, 6-6) seeks to halt a recent skid after a 52-44 loss at Wofford last Saturday snapped a three-game winning streak. The Bulldogs have struggled for consistency but have shown flashes at home, including convincing wins over Western Carolina and UNC Greensboro earlier this month. For Samford to challenge, it will need a stronger performance from forward Emily Bowman. In the Feb. 1 loss at Chattanooga, she was limited to four points and four rebounds in 11 minutes. Bowman has been a defensive presence recently, blocking four shots against Wofford. The matchup pits Chattanooga’s conference-leading defense, which allows just 54.8 points per game in SoCon play, against a Samford offense that has been held under 50 points in three of its last five outings. The Lady Mocs have won six of their last seven, while the Bulldogs have alternated wins and losses over their last eight games. Thursday’s contest is a critical late-season test for both. Chattanooga aims to maintain its momentum and conference lead, while Samford looks to improve its seeding for the upcoming conference tournament and secure a .500 league record. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.