Teams generally have struggled in a return from a long COVID break this season, and East Carolina hasn't played Feb. 8 and had lost seven of eight entering that break. The Pirates will be down to nine scholarship players with Bitumba Baruti out in COVID protocols and Tyrie Jackson and Charles Coleman sidelined with injuries. ECU is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games as a home underdog. The Knights are without a solid player in CJ Walker but have won three straight and covered four in a row.

East Carolina hasn't played in nearly a month and returns to host a hot Knights team that's won three in a row and covered four straight. On Jan. 27, host UCF beat the Pirates by seven while holding East Carolina to 4-of-20 shooting from deep. Lay the small number.