Preview: East Carolina at South Florida

TAMPA, Fla. (Interstat) — Two American Athletic Conference teams trending in opposite directions will meet Wednesday night when the South Florida Bulls host the East Carolina Pirates at the Yuengling Center.

The Bulls (10-6) have won three of their last four, including a 93-78 road victory at Tulsa on Saturday. They are 7-1 at home this season. The Pirates (5-11) have lost five straight, most recently falling 87-85 in overtime to UAB on Sunday.

South Florida’s success has been fueled by forward Izaiyah Nelson. The standout is averaging 22.0 points and 12.0 rebounds over his last three games, including a 22-point, 14-rebound performance against Tulsa. He provides a consistent interior presence for a Bulls offense averaging 84.1 points per game.

East Carolina will counter with guard Jordan Riley, who is in the midst of a prolific scoring stretch. Riley is averaging 28.8 points over his last four contests. He poured in 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the overtime loss to UAB, with teammates Reid Cason and Giovanni Emejuru also recording double-doubles. The Pirates’ recent struggles, however, have stemmed from an inability to close out tight games, with three of their last five losses coming by single digits.

The matchup presents a stark contrast in momentum. South Florida looks to solidify its position in the upper tier of the AAC, while East Carolina desperately seeks a conference win to halt its skid. The Bulls won both meetings last season.

Wednesday’s game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. EST tip-off. South Florida will host Wichita State on Sunday in its next outing, while East Carolina travels to Charlotte.