Eastern Kentucky @ East Carolina preview

After losing seven of its first nine games to smaller conference teams, East Carolina has rebounded and is riding a three-game winning streak into its last non-conference matchup. The Pirates have a good chance to extend their winning streak Saturday when they host Eastern Kentucky, a team that has beaten just one Division I opponent this season.

The biggest difference throughout the winning streak for East Carolina has been improved defense, allowing its last three opponents an average of 60 points per game after giving up at least 74 in each of the previous four. “I think we may have gotten frustrated by not getting stops, I think our resolve on the other end if we didn't score is if they didn't score, they can't beat us,” Pirates coach Joe Dooley said of the defense after the team’s 60-56 win against Charlotte. East Carolina is 5-0 on the season when outshooting its opponents and 5-2 when holding them below 70 points. But if the Pirates aren’t careful with the ball, the Colonels will take advantage as they are in the top five in the nation in both turnovers forced (21.2) and steals per game (10.7).

TV: 4 p.m. ET. No TV

ABOUT EASTERN KENTUCKY (3-9): Senior guard Ty Taylor is the Colonels' biggest threat from the outside, taking 89 3-pointers, and though he connects on just 37 percent of them, he drilled five in the most recent game against Charleston Southern after going 12-for-36 in the previous five. Leading scorer Jomaru Brown has averaged 14.5 points in the last two games after failing to reach double digits in the previous two and recorded his first career double-double against Marshall. Big man Tre King has been a presence on the boards on both sides of the ball, with nearly as many offensive rebounds (30) as defensive (32), and has 11 on offense in the last three contests.

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (5-7): Sophomore forward Jayden Gardner continues to be one of the most impressive players in the American Athletic Conference, scoring at least 20 points in four straight games, with the most recent two leading to league Player of the Week honors. After missing the first seven games, guard Tremont Robinson-White is still in “preseason shape,” per Dooley, though the junior college transfer scored a career-high 18 points against Charlotte. While never putting up huge scoring numbers, freshman point guard Tristen Newton still manages just under nine points a game and his 2.2 assist-turnover ratio is tied for second-best in the AAC.

TIP-INS

1. Gardner leads the country in free throws made (82) and free throws attempted (108).

2. East Carolina senior Seth LeDay, who averaged 8.7 points in the first six games of the season, is no longer with the program.

3. King’s 88.6 percent free-throw percentage is second-best in the Ohio Valley Conference.

PREDICTION: East Carolina 78, Eastern Kentucky 62