Women’s Basketball Downs Memphis For Fifth-Straight Home Win

Wednesday, February 14

Greenville, N.C.

7:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

14-11, 6-6

Memphis

7-18, 2-10

Memphis

ECU

Photo by: Rob Goldberg

Women’s Basketball Downs Memphis For Fifth-Straight Home Win

February 14, 2018 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Greenville, N.C. – The ECU women's basketball (14-11, 6-6) defeated Memphis (7-18, 2-10) on Wednesday night in Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum. The Pirates have now won five-consecutive home games and five of their last seven contests.

The Pirates placed four players in double-figures. Freshman Necole Hope led the team in scoring for the third time this season, recording 15 points and added a career-high five assists. Fellow freshman Ariyana Williams notched 13 points in 18 minutes of action. Dominique Claytor and Salita Greene each added 10 points. Freshman Lashonda Monk recorded eight points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals in a team-high 35 minutes.

For the second-consecutive game, the Pirates recorded only 14 turnovers, tying the second-lowest in a single game this season. The purple and gold tied a season-high 22 offensive rebounds, leading the Pirates to an additional 14 points. ECU forced Memphis into 23 turnovers and added 31 points off of the turnovers.

Williams got ECU started in the first quarter after converting on two made three-pointers. The Pirates would go on an 8-1 scoring run and close the first frame ahead by four.

Memphis battled back in the second quarter, shooting a game-high 57.1 percent from the field in the frame. The visitor's outscored ECU by three in the quarter but still trailed by one point at the halftime break.

In the third quarter, ECU held Memphis without a point for nearly three minutes. Hope sparked the Pirates offense with five points in the quarter and helped push the lead back to four at the end of the third quarter.

The Pirate offense exploded in the fourth quarter, scoring a season-high 26 points in the fourth quarter. ECU finished the game converting on 5-of-7 field goals and 6-of-8 free throws to secure the win.

Memphis has now lost eight-straight games. The Tigers shot 48.1 percent from the field (26-54). Brea Elmore led the team with 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field. Cheyenne Creighton and Brianna Porter each reached double-figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

The Pirates now trail the Tigers in the all-time series 13-16, while Heather Macy is 3-10 in her career.

Post-game Comments

Heather Macy's Opening Statement
"A really good team win. A lot of different people got to play some important vital minute's tonight which I think is big, especially with this road stretch that we're about to take. I told the girls it was game day, not Valentine's day. There were stretches of the game that I thought we were celebrating Valentine's Day, but now it's officially Valentine's Day."

Macy on team's progression throughout the season
"We're better. We have gotten better and better progressively as the season has gone. Credit the girls for that for being able to not get caught up in winning and losing, versus their workmanlike attitude and the way they come to practice every day. So, we just divided the season up into small weeks, and are approaching it that way. I'm really proud of them and I think you're seeing the results that were better."

Necole Hope on leading the team in scoring
"I believe that even though I was missing shots in the first half, my team believed that I still could shoot the ball and make it. That really gave me confidence that I could do it. Your team is trying to get you to stay up there and have that high energy, so I really believe it's based off my team to help me get to that point."

Team Records
Memphis (7-18, 2-10), ECU (14-11, 6-6)

Quarterly Scoring

Team	1^st	2^nd	3^rd	4^th	Total
Memphis	11	20	14	17	62
ECU	15	17	17	16	75

News and Notes
• ECU has won five-straight games at home.
• The Pirates have now won five of its last seven AAC games.
• ECU holds 11-4 overall and a 5-2 conference record when playing at home this season.
• Four players recorded double-figures (Hope 15, Williams 13, Claytor 10, Greene 10).
• ECU's 14 turnovers are tied for the second-lowest in a single-game this season.
• The Pirates 22 offensive rebounds are tied for the most in a single-game this season.
• The Tigers lead the all-time series 16-13, while Heather Macy is 3-10 in her career against Memphis.

Up Next
ECU will play its next two games on the road, starting at Houston this Saturday at 3 p.m. (EST) and then at Tulsa on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 8 p.m. (EST).