Maybe, just maybe, this is the favorable stretch that UConn desperately needs to finally gain some traction.

Starting Sunday (6 p.m., CBS Sports Network) against East Carolina at the XL Center in Hartford, the seventh-place Huskies have three straight American Athletic Conference games against teams below them in the standings and with a combined league record of 2-19.

UConn (7-11, 2-4), which has suffered consecutive road losses to Georgetown and SMU, has yet to win three straight this season. The Huskies are still searching for a prolonged stretch of solid basketball.

"We can't have these ebbs and flows in the game where we play well, then give up a 16-0 run," coach Kevin Ollie said. "That just means being a solid team, a connected team. It means when a team goes on a run, we know how to respond in the right way — getting stops and being efficient on the offensive end.

"And we can't turn the ball over. It's the same recipe we've been seeing the whole season. But we've also seen the good recipe, against Temple and against UCF. We've seen that we can play at a high level and maintain that for 40 minutes. We just have to do that more consistently."

Sunday's opponent just may have as many issues if not more than the Huskies.

East Carolina (9-10, 1-5) is mired in a five-game losing streak. The Pirates will be without leading scorer B.J. Tyson (knee injury) and head coach Jeff Lebo, who took an indefinite leave of absence after hip surgery. Assistant coach Michael Perry will be in charge for the first time.

"Coach Perry has been there quite a while with coach Lebo, so I don't see them changing much of what they do," Ollie said. "Now, coach Perry might have a little bit of his own wrinkles and they might play with a little bit more freedom, like the kids tend to do with a coaching change."

The Pirates are a dreadful offensive team, ranking only behind UConn in overall scoring in the conference at 61.8 points per game and shooting a league-worst 39.6 percent from the field. Seven of their 10 losses are by 10 points or more.

But they're capable of really digging in on defense.

In fact, they're on pace to set program records for scoring defense and field goal percentage defense, allowing 62.2 points and 37.7 from the field. Wake Forest graduate transfer Andre Washington, a 7-foot-1 center, is the top shot blocker in the AAC.

"Without (B.J.) Tyson, I know they are going to pound it down into Andre Washington a little more, so we're going to have to play really solid defense on him and that means keeping Amida (Brimah) out of foul trouble," Ollie said. "They are a versatile team that we have to do a great job keeping out of transition. That's when they're most dangerous. We have to keep them shooting a low percentage."

Keeping Brimah, UConn's 7-foot center, on the court has been a major problem in the last two games. He's played a total of 21 minutes and lost his cool in Thursday's 69-49 loss at SMU, earning a technical foul for firing the ball off the backboard.

The Huskies will have trouble gaining some steam without improved play from Brimah and guard Rodney Purvis, who's failed to score in double digits in each of the last three games, averaging just 6.7 points during that span.

In a surprising development, senior Kentan Facey and freshman Vance Jackson are the team's most reliable scorers in the last four games, averaging 13.5 and 12.8 points, respectively.

It's been that kind of season for the Huskies, who have a great opportunity to turn things in a positive direction starting Sunday. They visit South Florida (6-12, 0-7) Wednesday and host Tulane (4-15, 1-6) Saturday in Hartford.

g.keefe@theday.com

UCONN vs. EAST CAROLINA

Location: XL Center, Hartford

Tip: 6 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)

Records: UConn 7-11, 2-4; East Carolina 9-10, 1-5

Last game: UConn lost at SMU, 69-49, Thursday; East Carolina lost to Cincinnati, 55-46, Sunday

Probable starters: UConn, 6-3 so. guard Jalen Adams (14.9 pts, 6.5 assists), 6-4 r-sr. guard Rodney Purvis (12 pts, 4.7 rebs), 6-8 fr. forward Vance Jackson (8.4 pts, 3.3 rebs), 6-10 sr. forward Kentan Facey (7.9 pts, 7.2 rebs), 7-0 sr. center Amida Brimah (6.8 pts, 5.7 rebs, 2.9 blks)

East Carolina, 6-5 so. guard Kentrell Barkley (10.8 pts, 6.9 rebs, 2.9 assists), 6-7 sr. guard Caleb White (8.6 pts), 6-6 fr. guard Elijah Hughes (8.6 pts), 6-0 r-fr. forward Deng Riak (2.6 pts, 3.8 rebs), 7-1 grad. center Andre Washington (7.3 pts, 7.4 rebs, 2.8 blks)

Noteworthy: UConn seesaw continues, losing two straight after winning two after losing three. ... East Carolina dropped 8 of last 10, 5 in a row. Only AAC win over USF, 60-49. ... Series: UConn leads, 6-1, winning last five in a row including 85-67 Feb. 16 in Storrs. Last loss: 74-64 in 1971. ... First game for Pirates without head coach Jeff Lebo, sidelined after hip surgery. Asst. Michael Perry in charge. ... Injury update: ECU leading scorer B.J. Tyson (knee) out, UConn reserve Steven Enoch (right foot) game time decision. ... Top reserve: 6-1 fr. guard Jeremy Sheppard (7.9 pts). ... Game pits AAC's two lowest scoring teams in UConn (64.8) and ECU (61.8). ... Pirates excel on defense, limiting foes to 62.2 points and 37.7 FG percentage. ... Hot: Jackson averaging 11.5 pts, 3.4 rebs, shooting 51.9 percent in last 7 games. Cold: Adams and Purvis shooting 30.8 and 32.9 percent in AAC action. ... UConn 4-10 when scoring under 70 points. ... Huskies 4-4 at home, Pirates 0-5 on road. ... Up next: UConn visits South Florida Wednesday.

— Gavin Keefe