GREENVILLE, N.C. (Interstat) — A marquee American Athletic Conference women’s basketball clash is set for Saturday when the No. 10-ranked Rice Owls visit the East Carolina Pirates at Williams Arena. Rice (22-3, 13-1 AAC), riding a nine-game winning streak, brings one of the nation’s top records to Greenville. The Owls are coming off a 79-72 home victory over South Florida on Tuesday, powered by 24 points from guard Victoria Flores. Flores has been a consistent force, averaging 16.6 points over her last seven games, including a 33-point outburst at UTSA on Jan. 31. East Carolina (20-7, 11-3) has won six of its last seven, including a 74-61 win over Florida Atlantic on Tuesday. The Pirates are led by dynamic guard Kennedy Fauntleroy, who is averaging 15.1 points and 4.6 assists during that same seven-game stretch. Her backcourt duel with Flores will be pivotal. The matchup features the conference’s top two teams in the standings. Rice’s only league loss came on Jan. 17 at Temple, while East Carolina’s three AAC defeats include a January home loss to Wichita State. The Pirates’ defense, which has held opponents to an average of 62.1 points during their recent run, will be tested by a balanced Rice offense that has scored 70 or more points in 18 games this season. Beyond the star guards, each team boasts secondary scoring. For Rice, Shelby Hayes (15 points vs. USF) and Hailey Adams provide support. East Carolina counters with Anzhane’ Hutton, who scored 17 points in the last outing, and forward Keanna Rembert. Saturday’s contest is a critical juncture for conference tournament seeding and potential NCAA Tournament resumes. A win for East Carolina would tighten the league race, while a Rice victory would solidify its hold on first place. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST. The Pirates travel to Memphis next Wednesday, while the Owls visit Temple on Feb. 25.