UCF is easily the best team ECU will have faced to this point. They are currently 51st in NET. (Torvik has them ranked 33rd in his personal system which I respect as well). Their 4 losses include, Houston, Mizz, Miami and UNCA. Key wins Ole Miss, Wichita State, Oklahoma State, and Santa Clara. It's easy to see why they are ranked around the top 50.
They are a top 25 team in adjusted defense, 106th on offense. The offense isn't bad, but ECU is going to need to make shots to win this and break down that defense to some degree. They are 90th in 3 point shooting and 125th in three point rate so it is a team with the upside and likelihood to get hot. There aren't a lot of weaknesses, as you would expect with a top 50 type team.
They are led by Taylor Hendricks who is the consensus 42nd best recruit and comes with that pedigree. He's been awesome this seasons, and is likely a top 10 freshman in the nation. One of their best players from last year CJ Walker has been out since the 4th game of the season which has helped him expand his role.
Suggs
Suggs has started 5 of the 14 games and been solid for UCF. He's got a 616 TS%, 17.5 PER 4.4 BPM, 93 Defensive Rating. Everything is there as you would expect for a valuable role player. In Points over Replacement level he's 1.9 which would place him 4th on ECU's team closely behind Felton at 2.2. That seems like what his role would have been had he remained at ECU they way Felton, Small, and Johnson have improved.
Speaking of those three holdovers I believe those players will have this game circled and will be motivated to welcome him back and his new team more than any other team in the AAC. They are also capable of letting him know they aren't the same players. A little extra motivation in this one from them and the crowd might go a long ways. ECU's always live for an upset anyway in AAC play.
I think they are going to have something for Suggs individually at least, that he's not suspecting.
