GREENVILLE, N.C. (Interstat) — A surging Temple team looks to continue its climb in the American Athletic Conference standings when it visits struggling East Carolina on Saturday.

The Owls (14-8, 5-4 AAC) enter Williams Arena on a two-game winning streak, most recently edging South Florida 79-78 on Jan. 31. Temple has won seven of its last 10 contests. The Pirates (7-15, 2-7), meanwhile, are looking to build momentum after snapping a five-game skid with a dramatic 76-75 road win at Florida Atlantic on Feb. 1.

The matchup features two of the league’s premier scorers in a compelling backcourt duel. Temple is led by guard Aiden Tobiason, who is averaging 17.1 points per game over his last seven contests. He poured in 22 points in the win over USF and has logged heavy minutes, playing at least 36 minutes in six of those games.

East Carolina’s fortunes run through dynamic guard Jordan Riley, who is in the midst of a spectacular individual stretch. Riley is averaging 28.6 points over his last seven games, including a 35-point, 9-rebound, 5-assist effort in the upset of FAU and a 37-point performance against Rice on Jan. 28.

Temple won the season’s first meeting 75-67 in Philadelphia on Jan. 7. In that game, the Owls limited Riley to 15 points, one of his lower outputs during this recent high-scoring run.

The Owls have found success with balance; in the win over USF, Derrian Ford added 18 points and Babatunde Durodola dished five assists. East Carolina, which ranks near the bottom of the AAC, has relied heavily on Riley’s outbursts. Giovanni Emejuru (12 points) and Demitri Gardner (12 points, 5 rebounds) provided crucial support in the Florida Atlantic victory.

For Temple, a win would solidify its position in the upper half of the conference. For East Carolina, protecting its home court and stringing together consecutive wins for the first time since December is the immediate goal.

Tip-off is set for Saturday afternoon at Williams Arena.