Houston @ Connecticut preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 4, 2018 ) Connecticut 71, Houston 81

After knocking off two of the top three teams in the American Athletic Conference last week, Houston is ranked in the top 10 for the first time since 1983-84. The No. 9 Cougars seek a ninth straight win when it travels to Connecticut to play a reeling Huskies team Thursday.

Houston enjoyed a 77-68 win at Central Florida on Thursday in Orlando and followed with a 65-58 victory over then-No. 23 Cincinnati on Sunday for its 32nd consecutive home win -- the longest streak in the nation. Sophomore guard Dejon Jarreau scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half, including 11 consecutive Cougars points, and added eight rebounds and five assists, but it was the defense that won the game, holding the Bearcats scoreless the final 6:11 if the game. "That's what coach preaches every day at practice," Jarreau said. "We defend and rebound. We go at it, we compete. We try our best to carry it over to the game because that's our culture. If you aren't buying into our culture, you aren't playing." Connecticut, playing without star guard Jalen Adams for the first time this season, got 20 points and six rebounds from Tyler Polley but dropped a 78-71 decision at Memphis on Sunday, its third loss in four games.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT HOUSTON (23-1, 10-1 AAC): Corey Davis Jr., who won AAC Player of the Week honors for his performance in the two wins (21.0 points, 56.6 percent shooting, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals), had 16 points, six rebounds and a pair of steals against the Bearcats. Davis leads the team in scoring (15.5 points per game), followed by junior guard Armoni Brooks (13.8, team-high 6.4 rebounds), and the duo has combined to connect on 141 3-pointers in 383 attempts (36.8 percent). Houston ranks second nationally in field-goal percentage defense (36.4 percent), third in 3-point percentage defense (27.0) and sixth in scoring defense (60.7 points).

ABOUT CONNECTICUT (13-11, 4-7): Freshman Sidney Wilson (4.4 points) started in place of Adams and tallied 16 points, six rebounds and three blocks, while junior Christian Vital (14.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists) added 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals. Vital has scored in double figures in 24 straight games and over his last six contests has averaged 16.8 points, eight rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.8 steals. Adams (17.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists) is out four to six weeks after spraining the MCL in his left knee.

TIP-INS

1. Houston leads the series 6-5 and has won four of the last five.

2. UConn has won four straight conference games at home, is 4-1 on the season in AAC action but 0-6 on the road in conference games.

3. Brooks is one of 14 players in Division I and the only AAC player who has made at least 80 3-pointers on at least 38 percent shooting while averaging at least eight 3-point attempts per game.

PREDICTION: Houston 80, Connecticut 65