A four-game losing streak is coming to an end tonight in Houston’s Hofheinz Pavilion.

East Carolina’s men’s basketball team squares off against the Houston Cougars at 8 p.m. (EST) with both teams trying to halt lengthy Conference USA losing skids. The Pirates (9-8) are 0-4 to start league play and, after an overtime win against Tulsa on Jan. 4, the Cougars (9-9) have dropped four straight C-USA games, the most recent a 70-54 defeat at Southern Methodist on Wednesday.

Texas-El Paso handed ECU its fourth loss in a row Wednesday, a 70-56 setback in which the Pirates didn’t attempt a free throw until the 1-minute, 41-second mark of the second half and shot only three times from the charity stripe all game. Despite getting outscored in the paint 40-12 and being outrebounded 39-19 by the Miners, East Carolina led 45-43 with 12:26 left to play before UTEP outscored the Pirates 27-11 down the stretch.

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