Pirates Conclude Season Saturday Morning vs. Saint Louis
March 07, 2003 | Men's Basketball
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- East Carolina will put the finishing touches on the 2002-03 campaign this Saturday when it hosts Conference USA American Divisional foe Saint Louis in Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum at 11 a.m. This will be the final game of the year for the Pirates as well as the final game in the career of senior point guard Travis Holcomb-Faye.
The Pirates (12-14, 3-12 C-USA) have had a week to prepare for the Billikens, not having played since nearly upsetting ninth-ranked Louisville at Freedom Hall a week ago. Although they came up six points short, the Pirates played very well shooting a Conference USA season-best 49 percent from the floor. Derrick Wiley led four Pirates in double figures with a career-high 29 points.
One of the hottest teams in the conference, Saint Louis (14-12, 8-7 C-USA) enters Saturday's game on a six-game winning streak. The Billikens defeated Charlotte, 50-39, on Wednesday night, holding the 49ers to 28 percent shooting from the floor and 13 first half points. Senior Marquee Perry led all scorers with a game-high 17 points, while Izik Ohanon was the only other player in the game to score double figures, contributing 10 points.
The Billikens lead the all-time series with East Carolina, 4-1. All four of Saint Louis' victories in the series have come at the Savvis Center in Saint Louis. The Billikens defeated the Pirates, 56-42, earlier this season. However, East Carolina won the last meeting between two in Greenville on Feb. 2, 2002, 69-63. Gabriel Mikulas and Erroyl Bing combined to score 30 points and jerk down 11 rebounds during the Pirates' victory.
