Gameday: ECU On The Road Against No. 17 Houston

Game 18: at No. 17/17 Houston Cougars
Date:	Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019
Time:	8 p.m. (ET) / 7 p.m. (CT)
Location:	Houston, Texas (Fertitta Center)
Live Game Coverage:	Radio: WNCT 107.9 FM \| TuneIn Radio Online Video Stream: ESPN3
Internet Options:	Live Stats
Game Notes:	ECU (PDF) \| Houston (PDF) \| The American

Mired in its longest losing streak of the season, ECU faces its toughest challenge to date Wednesday night at 17th-ranked Houston, which owns and 18-1 overall record with its only loss coming at Temple two weeks ago.

Since stunning Cincinnati in their conference home opener, the Pirates have lost three in a row and yielded and an average of 79.3 points per game, which is 19 points per game more than what Houston is allowing per game this season (60.5).

Houston ranks second in the The American in scoring defense and lead the conference in field goal percent defense, holding opponents to just 36.4 percent shooting. ECU is averaging 70.1 points per game and shooting 43.3 percent.

The teams rank one and two in the league in 3-point field goal percent defense with Houston limiting its foes to 26.7 percent outside the arc, while the Pirates are yielding just 28.1 percent from 3-point range. Both teams rank in the Top 10 nationally.

Led by their backcourt trio of Corey Davis, Armoni Brooks and Galen Robinson, the Cougars are averaging a league-best 8.7 3s per game. The aforementioned trio has accounted for 134 of Houston's 166 (.807) made 3s and are shooting a combined 37.3 percent outside the arc.

"They really put pressure on you to get back in transition," Pirate head coach Joe Dooley said. "They make 3s in bunches and when you look at them defensively, they put you in harms' way because they can run so many bodies at you and they do a good job of turning you over.

Davis leads the Cougars in scoring with 15.2 points per game followed by Brooks at 14.3 ppg with four additional players averaging more than seven points per contest.

ECU will try to erase the nightmare of last season's 109-58 loss to Houston at the H&PE Arena on the campus of Texas Southern University. UH scored 22 consecutive points to rush out to a 32-5 lead and never looked back.

"You've got to bring it up," Dooley said. "I think it's one of those things you have to learn from it and there are some things we've got to do to make sure it doesn't happen again.

"We've got to make sure we play well. On the road we've been playing a little better. I thought we played well in the second half against Central Florida, but we've got to stop putting ourselves in tough spots."

Rookie sensation Jayden Gardner, who won his fourth American Athletic Conference Freshman-of-the-Week award Monday, has averaged 26.7 points and 12.0 rebounds during the Pirates' current skid. He leads the conference in scoring with 19.8 ppg and is second in rebounding at 9.4 rebounds per game, including 21.5 points and 11.0 rebounds in conference play.

"He's actually raised his level of play in The American," Dooley said. "This is a really good league and he's putting up really good numbers. I've been very impressed."

The Pirates are looking for more consistency from their next two leading scorers, Shawn Williams and Seth LeDay. Williams has scored double figures in three of five conference game, but was limited to 1-of-9 shooting outside the arc by Temple last time out.

LeDay has posted a pair of double-double in league play, but has also been held to three or fewer points twice.

ECU has lost six straight in the series and is winless in Houston (0-6), where the Cougars are a perfect 14-0 this season.

Players Mentioned

Jayden Gardner

Seth LeDay

Shawn Williams

Footer