WINONA, MINN. – It may only be January, but the St. Catherine University basketball team has already played several must-win games, especially against Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) opponents. On Saturday, that trend will continue as the Wildcats travel to Winona to take on the Saint Mary's University Cardinals at 3 p.m.

While it is only January, Saturday's game at Saint Mary's is a key game for St. Kate's. Thanks to a four-game win streak, the Wildcats enter Saturday's game with a 9-3 overall record and a 3-2 mark in MIAC play, the team's best overall and conference record through the first half of the season since the 2009-2010 season. However, the Cardinals also hold a 9-3, 3-2 record after a win over Lawrence University on December 29 and Wednesday's 56-52 win over Macalester.

Fans who want to tune in to Saturday afternoon's game will be able to watch via live stats and video. Score updates will also be posted on St. Kate's Athletics official Twitter page (@stkateswildcats).

Here are the five things to know before St. Kate's and Saint Mary's tip off at 3 p.m. on Saturday:

2 – The Wildcats and Cardinals met twice in the regular season last year and will also meet twice this season. Last year, St. Kate's played two of its closest games of the season against Saint Mary's but was unable to come away with a victory each time. In the first game, the Wildcats lost by a score of 71-67. Then sophomore guard Meg Clark (Kenyon, Minn. / Kenyon-Wanamingo) led the team with 17 points while eventual MIAC Rookie-of-the-Year Brandi Blattner scored 27 points. In the second game, St. Kate's lost a heartbreaker 62-60 despite LaShay Holt's (Minneapolis, Minn. / Humboldt) 26-point performance in Winona.

8 – Combined, the Wildcats and Cardinals have played eight teams in the MIAC this season, and both teams hold a 3-2 record in conference play. Through this point in the season, Saint Mary's three MIAC wins include victories over Carleton (61-60), Concordia (60-56), and Macalester (56-52) and the Cardinals losses have been to Bethel (69-56) and Gustavus (49-45). On the flip side, St. Kate's has defeated St. Olaf (69-51), Augsburg (93-91 OT), and Carleton (65-62) in conference play and has lost to Saint Ben's (60-53) and Concordia (85-78).

4 – Both teams enter Saturday afternoon's game with substantial win streaks. After Wednesday evening's victory over Carleton, the Wildcats have now won four games in a row, all by three-points or less. Saint Mary's has won three games in a row, its most recent being a 56-52 win over Macalester on Wednesday.

5 – Currently, Holt and junior guard Audra Clark (Kenyon, Minn. / Kenyon-Wanamingo) are tied for fifth in the MIAC in scoring, as both average 15.7 points per game overall. Against MIAC opponents, though, Holt is averaging 18.6 points per game, which is second only to Clark who is averaging 18.8 points against conference opponents.

9.0 – Holt also ranks in the top-five in rebounds this season, currently averaging 9.0 rebounds per game overall. On Saturday, though, she will be going up against the top-rebounder in the conference in Saint Mary's Blattner. The sophomore is currently leading the MIAC in rebounding, with an average of 10.4 per game and is first in the conference in total rebounds (125).