SMU Guard Korina Baker Prepares for in an in-bounds throw against Marshall on Sunday. (Christopher Saul / The Daily Campus)

The Mustangs (18-4, 9-0 C-USA) will face their biggest road challenge of the season when they take on the Pirates of East Carolina (16-6, 6-3 C-USA) at 6 p.m. Thursday.

The Mustangs, who have now received votes in the AP Top 25 Poll and the USA Today Coaches’ Poll two straight weeks, have started conference play with nine straight wins, their best mark in school history.

SMU has a three game lead in the Conference USA standings and ranks 38th nationally in scoring offense (70.4 ppg).

The Mustangs are led by Keena Mays who received her fourth C-USA player of the week award. Mays, who is averaging over 20 points per game and shooting 43.6 percent from behind the arc, is one of three players on the team averaging at least 10 points.

SMU will take on East Carolina, who is currently in second place in Conference USA.

ECU, who is 4-0 in conference play at home, will look to give the Mustangs their first loss of the season in Conference USA.

Before ECU’s 62-58 loss to UAB, the Pirates had won five straight games. The Pirates, similar to the Mustangs, also have three players who are averaging at least 10 points.

Led By Whitny Edwards (12 points per game) and Celeste Stewert (11 points per game), the Pirates have only lost one game at home all year. The Mustangs, who are only 4-2 on the road this season, will look to become just the second team this season to beat the Pirates on their home turf.

The Mustangs and Pirates match up very well, with both teams averaging over 65 points per game and both have played well throughout league play.

The Mustangs, however, give up an average of five more points than the Pirates do. Look for the Pirates to shoot and shoot often to make up for their poor field goal percentage.

After Thursday’s game, the Mustangs will head to Tennessee, for the last of two back-to-back road games, to take on the Memphis Tigers at 2 p.m. on Sunday.