East Carolina @ Connecticut preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 18, 2018 ) Connecticut 84, East Carolina 80

Connecticut caught a break in the schedule following a rough start to American Athletic Conference play, but it is debatable whether or not first-year coach Dan Hurley's squad has taken full advantage of it. The Huskies wrap up a five-game stretch in which they face one conference favorite and the four teams who sit below them in the league standings Sunday when they host East Carolina.

Following a crushing overtime loss in Cincinnati on Jan. 12, UConn was unable to solve its road woes against Tulsa before returning home for easy wins over Tulane and Wichita State. The Huskies traveled to Central Florida and put themselves in position to notch their first victory over a conference foe with a winning record during league play Thursday before falling 73-67 to the Knights. The Pirates, who stunned the Bearcats nearly a month ago for their first AAC win of the season, proceeded to drop their next five contests before edging Tulane 66-65 on Thursday. East Carolina will need to overcome its recent history in order to register consecutive wins for only the third time this season, as it has lost nine in a row away from home dating back to last season by an average of 22.2 points.

TV: 2 p.m. ET, ESPNews

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (9-11, 2-6 American): The Pirates were able to come away with the victory against the Green Wave on the strength of a plus-nine turnover margin (16-7), which they turned into a 23-4 advantage in points off mistakes. Freshman forward Jayden Gardner (18.8 points, 9.4 rebounds) is the only player in the conference averaging a double-double during league play and just missed posting his ninth overall versus Tulane, managing 15 points and nine rebounds in only 22 minutes. Sophomore Dimitrije Spasojevic (3.5 points), who scored eight of his 10 points in the first half to help East Carolina stay in the game while Gardner was dealing with foul trouble, has reached double figures in two straight after failing to do so in any of his first 18 outings.

ABOUT CONNECTICUT (12-9, 3-5): Leading scorer Jalen Adams (18.6 points) has produced his top three scoring efforts of the season over the last four games, averaging 26 points while shooting 50 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from 3-point range. Alterique Gilbert (13.0 points) missed his first game of the season with lingering soreness in his left shoulder; the sophomore guard is day-to-day, but Hurley suggested he will not play until he is pain-free. Tarin Smith (8.4 points) filled in for Gilbert on Thursday and reached double figures for the first time in conference action with 11 points - he had been held to single digits since a 20-point performance Dec. 18 against Drexel - while Christian Vital (13.6 points) has scored in double figures in 11 straight.

TIP-INS

1. Adams needs eight points to pass Cliff Robinson (1,664; 1985-89) for 11th place on the Huskies' all-time scoring list and four assists to pass Ryan Boatright (491; 2012-15) for ninth place in school annals.

2. In addition to their 0-7 road record this season, the Pirates are also winless in all seven of their visits to UConn.

3. Thursday marked the first time all season the Huskies used a different starting lineup.

PREDICTION: Connecticut 80, East Carolina 70