ON DECK IN THE AMERICAN
With only three games remaining in conference play, competition is heating up in The American. Wednesday night will feature first place Temple hosting second place Tulsa at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The Owls hold a one-game lead over the Golden Hurricane, as well as North Texas. Trying to keep pace, the Mean Green will host East Carolina on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The Pirates are one of five teams with seven losses that are vying for fourth place and a double-bye in the conference tournament.
500 POINT SCORERS
With four players having scored 500 or more points this season, The American is tied for having the third most 500-point scorers in a conference, ahead of the Big 10, Big 12, SEC and Pac-12, while being tied with the Big East. Tulsa’s Temira Poindexter (574) and Delanie Crawford (539), as well as East Carolina’s Danae McNeal (533) and Charlotte’s Dazia Lawrence (518) all have more than 500 points on the season.
TWO IS THE MAGIC NUMBER
Winners of five straight and eight of the last ten, the Temple Owls have surged into first place in The American and now control their own destiny to the regular season championship. Temple needs just two wins to clinch a share of the title. The Owls can also clinch a share on Wednesday with a win over Tulsa AND an East Carolina win over North Texas, which will be played on Tuesday night.
MCNEAL REACHES STEALS MILESTONE
East Carolina graduate guard Danae McNeal has made a career on the defensive side of the ball, becoming one of the best defenders in American Athletic Conference history. She became the 14th player in conference history to reach 200 career steals and currently has 203 steals in her career. Over her three-year career at East Carolina, she is averaging 2.2 steals per game, including a career-high 2.9 steals per game this season.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21
South Florida 78, East Carolina 68
Charlotte 70, North Texas 69
Tulsa 84, UAB 72
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Temple 56, UTSA 48
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24
Memphis 54, Tulane 44
East Carolina 74, SMU 64
North texas 95, UAB 77
Charlotte 74, Wichita State 48
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25
UTSA 76, Florida Atlantic 60
Temple 75, Rice 66
Tulsa 72, South Florida 65
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27
East Carolina at North Texas* (ESPN+)__________ 7:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28
SMU at Wichita State* (ESPN+)________________ 7 p.m.
Tulsa at Temple** (ESPN+)_____________________ 7 p.m.
Tulane at Florida Atlantic* (ESPN+)_____________ 7 p.m.
UTSA at Memphis* (ESPN+)____________________ 8 p.m
SATURDAY, MARCH 2
UTSA at Wichita State* (ESPN+)________________ 3 p.m.
SMU at Tulsa* (ESPN+)________________________ 3 p.m.
North Texas at Rice* (ESPN+)__________________ 3 p.m.
UAB at Memphis* (ESPN+)_____________________ 3 p.m.
Tulane at South Florida* (ESPN+)_______________ 7 p.m.
SUNDAY, MARCH 3
Temple at East Carolina* (ESPN+)______________ 2 p.m.
Charlotte at Florida Atlantic* (ESPN+)__________ 2 p.m.
* American Athletic Conference Game
All times Eastern and subject to change
