FEU vs UST in the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball tournament. UAAP Media

MANILA -- The University of Santo Tomas will try to check a two-game losing streak when it takes on Far Eastern University in the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball tournament, Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

After a promising start, the Growling Tigers are now mired in the middle of the pack with a 3-3 win-loss slate, and are looking to take down the Tamaraws for a triumphant end to the first round of the tournament.

Game time is at 4:30 p.m.

The Tamaraws enter the game with momentum on their side, after ending a five-game slump with an overtime win against the Ateneo Blue Eagles last week.

"I have learned a lot from all the coaches in the league in teaching their kids," said FEU head coach Sean Chambers after they pulled off a 66-65 triumph over Tab Baldwin's squad. "My job is to make sure we elevate our guys' game plan for them just to win games. So that's why I'm trying to elevate our game in the last two to three weeks. We will continue to get better."

READ: Mike Phillips’ double-double powers La Salle past UST

READ: Jorick Bautista stars as FEU escapes Ateneo in OT for first win

NU vs Ateneo in the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball tournament. UAAP MediaMeanwhile, Ateneo and National University face off at 6:30 p.m., with both teams hoping to end the round on a winning note.

The Blue Eagles and the Bulldogs are tied with FEU from sixth to eighth places at 1-5.

After a narrow win over the Tamaraws, the Bulldogs were far from the form that gave them Final Four appearances in the last two seasons, losing four in a row, as they sorely missed injured Malian center Mo Diassana.

The Blue Eagles, meanwhile, have lost two in a row and are assured of their worst start in the coach Tab Baldwin era.

READ: UE beats Ateneo for the first time since 2015

The first round ends Sunday at the bayside Pasay arena, with University of the Philippines gunning for a seven-game sweep against defending champion De La Salle in a rematch of last year's Finals at 6:30 p.m., and University of the East eyeing to make it five in a row and matching its longest winning run in 10 years as it goes up as it plays Adamson University at 3:30 p.m.

In the women's division, NU shoots to complete a first round sweep in the 1:30 p.m. duel with Ateneo, while defending champion UST tries to solidify its hold of the second spot against FEU at 11:30 a.m.

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