Connecticut @ East Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 10, 2019 ) Connecticut 82, East Carolina 73

Despite injuries and many close losses, Connecticut has clawed its way back toward .500 in the American Athletic Conference with the NCAA Tournament just under two weeks away. The Huskies will look to win their third straight game when they travel to East Carolina on Thursday, a team they have beaten all but once since the inception of the AAC.

Following redshirts and the aforementioned injuries, the Huskies are down to just eight healthy scholarship players, but have won six of their last nine conference games after a 1-5 start. "We get to seven conference wins, where we had six all last year and avoid a losing season. A couple weeks ago, we were wondering where the hell we'd win a couple of games. But shown real progress here and it's the next step we're taking," coach Dan Hurley said after Wednesday's win against Central Florida. While Connecticut has been no stranger to close games, East Carolina has lost three of its last four -- with every decision coming by no more than five points -- but could finish the season with its best record in AAC play, should it win out. "We still have some basketball to play this year and finish the regular season the right way, with a lot of effort and some enthusiasm, there's no telling what can happen," Pirates coach Joe Dooley said following his team's recent win against Temple.

TIME: 2 p.m. ET. TV: ESPNU

ABOUT CONNECTICUT (16-12, 7-8 AAC): Senior Christian Vital, the AAC all-time leader in 3-point field goals made, has averaged 21.4 points over the last four games, leads the team in rebounding despite standing 6-foot-2 and is first in the conference in free-throw percentage (.900) and steals per game (2.5). Though Vital will soon no longer be a Husky, freshman backcourt mate James Bouknight has emerged as the team's future, reaching double figures in 10 straight games and 11 of 13 since becoming a starter. The loss of forwards Tyler Polley and Akok Akok has opened the door for junior Isaiah Whaley, who has averaged 14.7 points and 10 rebounds while blocking eight shots in the three games since entering the starting lineup.

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (11-18, 5-11): Sophomore forward Jayden Gardner is one of the top candidates for AAC Player of the Year, leading the way with 20.1 points per game and is tied for first in the nation with 10 games in which he scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Point guard Tristen Newton plays the second-most minutes in the conference for a freshman, has increased his scoring average by over two points since the start of conference play and is second in the conference with a 1.9 assist-turnover ratio. After sparse playing time and just two totals points in the previous two games, fellow first-year Brandon Suggs played 30 minutes against South Florida and hit 6 of 9 shots en route to 13 points.

BUZZER-BEATERS

1. UConn is fourth in the nation with 6.1 blocked shots per game.

2. Vital is the only player in Division I with at least 400 points, 175 rebounds, 75 assists and 70 steals.

3. Gardner is seventh in the nation with 209 free throws attempted and 10th with 152 made.

PREDICTION: UConn 80, East Carolina 69