PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- The Lindsey Wilson College men’s basketball team opens postseason play today at the Eastern Kentucky Exposition Center.

The Blue Raiders (16-14) are the No. 5-seed and will face host and No. 4-seed Pikeville (Ky.) College at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday.

The two teams split during the regular season, each winning on their home court.

Lindsey Wilson defeated the Bears 66-57 on February 7 in Columbia and Pikeville returned the favor on February 28 with an 84-66 win at the Pikeville College Gymnasium.

Pikeville and Lindsey Wilson enter Saturday’s game streaking in opposite directions.

The Blue Raiders come into the game on a season-high five-game losing streak. Lindsey Wilson’s last win came on February 12 with a 71-70 win over then No. 1-ranked Mountain State (W.Va.) University in Columbia.

Since, Lindsey Wilson has struggled losing the five games by an average of 13 points per game.

“We’ve had moments of greatness and moments where we’ve really struggled down the stretch,” LWC coach Paul Peck said. “We’ve struggled from the free throw line and our interior defense has really let us down. We’ve just been unable to finish games like we were early this season.”

Pikeville enters on a three-game winning streak, including a 78-64 win over second-seeded University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) in the regular season finale in Williamsburg.

“Pikeville is as talented as any team in this conference,” Peck said. “They can sprint past you on the offensive end and they can dominate you on the defensive end with their ability to block or alter shots.

“It’s a very difficult draw (playing Pikeville) and we’re going to play one of our best games of the season to have a chance to beat them.”

To make matters even more difficult, the Blue Raiders must win three games in three days to realize their dreams of advancing to the NAIA National Tournament.

“We’ve put ourselves in a tremendous hole,” Peck said. “But the great thing about the postseason is that everyone starts with the same record and if we get hot, we could win this thing.”