UNIVERSITY of the Philippines and National University seek to formalize their entry to the Final Four as the joint leaders play separate foes today in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Fighting Maroons hope to rediscover their winning ways against University of the East at 1 p.m., while the Bulldogs go for back-to-back wins as they take on Far Eastern University at 4 p.m.

Despite dropping a 79-88 decision to La Salle last Sunday, UP remains on course for a fifth consecutive Final Four appearance.

CJ Cansino, the Fighting Maroons team captain, said that the defeat to the Green Archers will help them correct those mistakes to clean up their deficiencies and improve more heading to the homestretch of the elimination round.

“Marami kaming matutunan sa game na ito na dadalhin namin sa season, and hopefully, matuto kami mga pagkakamali namin,” said Cansino.

“Ang mindset namin, kung ano man yung ibigay na pagsubok sa amin, solution-oriented lang kami. Yun ang bini-build namin na culture. So hopefully, next game, mas ibibigay namin yung kailangan para makuha yung panalo,” he added.

NU, which defeated defending champion Ateneo, 65-61, last Saturday, is seeking to reach the Final Four for the second straight season.

Rookie Reinhard Jumamoy, the Season 85 high school MVP who had a breakout performance against the Blue Eagles, knows that the Bulldogs, who last ruled in 2014, must not be complacent if they want to a fulfill their ultimate goal.

“Sobrang saya ko na yun nga, may makapal na mukha ako, thankful lang ako kay Lord. Wala akong masabi, thankful lang ako. Kaya trabaho lang kami ulit. Hindi kami nakukuntento kung hindi namin makuha yung goal namin,” said Jumamoy.

Sporting similar 8-2 records, UP and NU are not only trying to seal their spots in the Final Four, but also to fend off third-running La Salle (7-3), which plays Adamson at 6 p.m., in the chase for the twice-to-beat bonus.

The Green Archers are currently the hottest team with a four-game winning streak.

Ateneo and last-place University of Santo Tomas collide at 11 a.m. to open another Wednesday quadrupleheader.

The race to fourth Final Four berth remains too close to call.

The Falcons sit in solo fourth with a 5-5 record, a game ahead of the Blue Eagles and the Red Warriors, who share fifth place at 4-6.

Holding a 3-7 card, the Tamaraws are two games out of the No. 4 slot, as they cannot afford any missteps from now on.