GAME NOTES: The Houston Cougars will attempt to end a three-game losing streak as they host the Memphis Tigers in an American Athletic Conference clash at Hofheinz Pavilion on Sunday.

This will be the second time in Houston's last four games that the Cougars will take on Memphis. The Tigers started Houston's three-game losing streak with a 73-54 victory back on New Year's Eve. Houston is coming off a heartbreaking 79-78 overtime loss to UCF on Tuesday, and is 0-3 in conference play.

Memphis is on a bit of a skid as well, having dropped its last two games in a row. The Tigers' last win was over the very Houston squad it travels to face Sunday. Since then, Memphis has lost to Tulane (74-66) and SMU (73-59) to fall to 8-6 on the season and 1-2 in conference play.

The Tigers will be going for the season sweep over the Cougars on Sunday. Memphis overall owns a 29-13 all-time series advantage over Houston, with wins in five of its last six head-to-head games.

Memphis couldn't do a thing about containing an SMU offense that, at home, shot 51.9 percent from the floor, which included a 54.2 percent mark in the second half. The Tigers started out very slowly on 34.6 percent shooting in the opening period, effectively digging themselves a hole from which they couldn't escape. Austin Nichols scored 11 points with three blocked shots to lead the Tigers in the loss, while D'Marnier Cunningham added 10 points off the bench.

The offense for the Tigers this season hasn't been overwhelming, but the team has managed a 67.9 ppg mark that fits right into the middle of the pack in the AAC. Nichols leads the team with a 12.8 ppg average, adding in 5.9 rpg and a team-best 49 blocked shots. Trahson Burrell chips in 10.5 ppg for the Tigers to close out a pair of double-digit scorers for the team this season. Shaq Goodwin's 6.4 rpg mark is the most on Memphis out of four players averaging at least 5.8 boards per outing. The team is surrendering just 62.1 ppg to opponents on 38 percent shooting headed into Sunday's contest.

With just two seconds left in overtime, UCF's Brandon Goodwin drilled a 3- pointer that gave his Knights a one-point lead over Houston, 79-78. The remaining time wound off the clock, and a Jherrod Stiggers last-second heave at the buzzer didn't connect, handing the Cougars a devastating AAC overtime loss. Stiggers paced the Cougars with 20 points in the loss, and added five rebounds and five assists with five steals. Danrad Knowles chipped in with 15 points and eight rebounds, while L.J. Rose added 15 of his own with seven assists. Devonta Pollard came off the bench to score 13 and LeRon Barnes rounded out the double- digit Houston scorers with 12 points in the defeat.

This team has been piloted by Stiggers from the beginning. The guard leads the Cougars and the conference in scoring with 17.1 ppg this season. In fact, he's been a critical member of a Houston offense that is tallying 69.9 ppg this season - good for second behind only SMU in the AAC. But the problem has been on the defensive side of the ball, where Houston allows opponents to score 68.6 ppg, ranked third-to-last in the conference. Pollard contributes 11.9 ppg for the Cougars, and Rose, who has played in only seven games, adds in 11.0 ppg. Pollard and Barnes each own a team-best 6.9 rpg mark headed into Sunday.

Houston certainly has the pieces to be an effective team this season, and is individually very well-rounded at each position. But for some reason the defensive product has suffered greatly, which makes the Cougars vulnerable yet again, even at home. Memphis needs to get it together after a dismal outing against SMU, though.