ECU Starts Roadtrip At Houston

Game 17: ECU (3-13, 0-3 AAC) at Houston (8-9, 1-2 AAC)
Date	Sunday, January 19
Time	3 p.m. (EST)
Location	Houston, Texas (Fertitta Center)
Coverage	Watch
Information	ECU Notes
Social Media	Twitter: @ECUWomensHoops Instagram: @ECUWomensHoops Facebook: ECU Women's Basketball

GREENVILLE, N.C. – A two-game roadswing for the ECU women's basketball team starts with the Pirates traveling to Houston for a Sunday afternoon matchup.

ECU (3-13, 0-3 AAC) went into the fourth quarter tied with Wichita State, but could not get over the hump, falling to the Shockers 61-53. Lashonda Monk continues to move up the all-time list for career steals. The junior guard is fourth on ECU's all-time list with 256 career steals, putting her nine steals away from passing Delphine Mabry and Jasmine Young for second place as well as 37 steals away from breaking Toina Coley's ECU record. Monk leads the conference with 65 steals this season, placing her third in the country. Monk (14.9 ppg) and Taniyah Thompson (11.1 ppg) are the two Pirates scoring in double-figures. Thompson is one of three ECU freshmen to score at least 15 points in a game this season, as Katerina Tsineke scored a career-high 15 points against Wichita State while Ryann Evans scored 16 points against Longwood. As a group, the four ECU newcomers, which includes Xianna Josephs, are averaging a combined 94.7 minutes, 25.5 points and 10.9 rebounds.

Houston (8-9, 1-2 AAC) had high expectations coming into the year after reaching the WNIT, but have lost its past two games. The Cougars opened its conference slate by beating Memphis at home, but dropped consecutive games against Temple and No. 1 UConn. Dorian Branch, a Preseason Second-Team All-AAC selection, leads the team in scoring (12.0 ppg), three-pointers made (36), three-point field goal percentage (.327), assists (58) and steals (35) and leads the conference in total minutes played this season (606:42). Tatyana Hill (11.1 ppg), Julia Blackshell-Fair (10.7 ppg) and Dymond Gladney (10.6 ppg) are all also averaging double-figures. Hill leads the team in rebounding, averaging 6.3 boards. ECU will look to exploit the Cougars' turnover problems, as Houston is 318th in the country with 306 giveaways this season.

Houston holds a 13-8 lead in the all-time series and has won two straight against the Pirates. Last season, ECU trailed by one heading into the fourth quarter, but Houston pulled away for a 63-52 win despite 16 points from Raven Johnson. Each team has had a long winning streak in the series. Houston won the first eight and nine of the first 10 contests against ECU, a stretch that started in 2002 and ran through 2011. Between 2012 and 2016, the Pirates won six straight against the Cougars. Over the past five meetings though, Houston has won four of five. In Houston, the Pirates are just 4-8 and have lost three straight games.

Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m., Eastern on Sunday afternoon in the Fertitta Center. Fans can watch the game here.

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Players Mentioned

Ryann Evans

Raven Johnson

Xianna Josephs

Lashonda Monk

Taniyah Thompson

Katerina Tsineke

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