ECU Women Host Cincinnati in Sunday Televised Game
February 08, 2003 | Women's Basketball
SUNDAY'S MATCH-UP
This Sunday, February 9, the Lady Pirates will host the University of Cincinnati in a
Conference USA match-up. It will be the fourth all-time meeting between the two teams.
Cincinnati leads the series 2-1. The game will be played at Williams Arena at Minges
Coliseum and will be televised by WITN-TV Channel 7 in Greenville, N.C. Tip-off is set for
1:00 p.m.
SCOUTING THE PIRATES
Jennifer Jackson leads the Pirates with an
average of 17.1 points per game. Courtney
Willis is close behind, averaging 14.7 points
of her own. They are the only two women to
average double-figure points for the Lady
Pirates. Tali Robich is averaging 9.6 points
per game in the third place position.
Jackson also leads the team in boards with 7.8 boards per outing. Willis is averaging 7.1 boards, and Tali Robich 5.2.
The Lady Pirates have 10 wins on the year, with an overall record of 10-10. The 10 wins is four more total wins than all of last season.
ECU has competed in three in-season tournaments this year. The Pirates were the champions of the U.S. Cellular Classic at East Carolina, and were runners-up in the UNCG Marriott Classic and the Atlanta NW Marriott Classic.
The Pirates are shooting 42.1 percent from the field this season, and 69.4 percent from the free throw line.
In 12 of the Pirates' 19 games this season, three or more players have posted double-figure points. Against Memphis, five players scored in double-figures, marking the first time in over four years that feat has been accomplished.
In the games against Bethune-Cookman, Alabama, and Louisville, every participating player scored at least two points. Against Bethune-Cookman, North Carolina A&T, Campbell, and Louisville, every participating player had at least one rebound.
SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Cincinnati is currently 16-5 overall and 6-2
in Conference USA, which places them
second in the league.
The Bearcats have lost their last two conference games. Their first loss came to Tulane on February 2 by a score of 62-53, and their most recent loss came to Charlotte this past Friday night, February 7, falling 67-62.
Cincinnati opened up its season against Mississippi State, falling to the Bulldogs 76- 70. The Bearcats' only other losses were against Nebraska and Kentucky.
The Bearcats' longest winning streak this season is seven games, which began on January 4 with a win over Toledo and was concluded on February 2 with the Tulane loss.
The Bearcats are led in scoring by Debbie Merrill, averaging 17.9 points per game.
Merrill, last year's Conference USA Freshman of the Year, and a Freshman All-American, also leads the team in rebounding, pulling down 8.1 boards per game. Valerie King averages 17.8 points per game for the Bearcats and K.B. Sharp and Carolyn Alexander average 11.4 and 10.5 points respectively. Merrill, King, and Sharp have started in all 20 games for Cincinnati, while Alexander has started in 19.
As a team, the Bearcats average 71.3 points per game and are shooting 44.5 percent from the floor.
