Team Effort Pushes Pirates Past Belmont-Abbey

Team Effort Pushes Pirates Past Belmont-Abbey

11/28/2004

Box Score

Postgame Quotes

Postgame Notes

Greenville, N.C. -- Three players recorded a double-double to lead East Carolina past Division II Belmont Abbey, 77-50, inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum Sunday in its home opener.

Senior Moussa Badiane led all scorers with a career-high 26 points to go along with 10 rebounds and six blocks. In addition to Badiane, junior Corey Rouse recorded his second consecutive double-double, scoring a career-high 15 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. Sophomore Mike Cook recorded his first career double-double as he finished with 11 points and 12 assists. Cook, who has scored in double figures in all five games this season, was one rebound shy of his first-career triple-double.

ECU (3-2) shot a season-high 53.2 percent (33-of-62) from the floor while holding the Crusaders to 26.7 percent (16-of-60). East Carolina out-scored Belmont-Abbey, 42-20 in the second half, behind a blistering 64.3 percent (18-28) from the floor, including 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from behind the arc. The Pirates doubled the Crusaders points in the paint by a margin of 40-to-20 and out-rebounded them 45-to-37.

Belmont-Abbey (1-1) was led by Rafael Moreira who came off the bench to record a double-double of his own with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Moreira kept the Crusaders close in the first half with 10 points and 10 boards at the break.

East Carolina will return to action Wednesday, December 1 when its entertains Toledo at 7 p.m. inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.

Head Coach Bill Herrion
"I think that we needed to get back to playing basketball the way that we have played here the last five years; the way people know how we play and that's on the defensive end of the floor. We didn't play well defensively at Gardner-Webb this past Tuesday. We came back and really tried to pay a lot of attention to the defensive end. I thought position wise, we were much better tonight."

"Moussa did a great job and almost had a triple-double. I just told the kids in the locker room after the game is that I think we have to establish a little bit more of an inside identity. The first half we did not run a good offense. I think we had a lot of guys just holding onto the basketball. I thought the second half was better. We started reversing the ball in our transition, started screening better, and the floor started opening up a little bit and we got a lot more offensive opportunities."

"I like the way Corey [Rouse] is playing. He is a junior class wise but he has never started a basketball game at East Carolina until this year and is really like a freshman or sophomore experience wise. I think we are getting a lot out of him. He keeps getting better every. He has had two consecutive double-doubles and is being very active on the glass but we have got to get more help."

"When Mike Cook has the ball in his hands a lot of good things happen with our basketball team. We've have been a little bit disappointed with the play of our point guards, but I thought Marvin Kilgore did a good job tonight. He didn't score but he had five assists and only one turnover. He did a good job and I think we are going to start using Mike Cook more at the point guard position a little bit more."

Postgame Notes

With its win over Belmont Abbey, East Carolina extended its winning streak over Division II opponents during the regular season to 16 games... Extended its non-conference home game winning streak to nine games... Won its third consecutive home opener... Finished the month of November with a winning record for a third consecutive season and fourth time under Coach Bill Herrion.

East Carolina used its fourth different starting lineup of the season (Rouse, Badiane, Kilgore, King, Cook)... Shot a season-high 53.2 percent from the field... Made a season-high 33 field goals... Held its opponent to under 40 percent shooting for the third time this season.

Senior Moussa Badiane scored a career-high 26 points, surpassing his previous high of 20 against Charlotte at home last season... Recorded his first double-double of the year and fifth of his career... Grabbed 10 rebounds in a game for the seventh time in his career... Rejected four or more shots for the 31st time in his career and at least five shots for the 10th time... Made a career-high 12 field goals.

Sophomore Mike Cook recorded his first career double-double (11 points, 12 assists)... Dished out a career-high 12 assists, second highest single-game total in school history... Grabbed a career-high nine rebounds (previous was seven on two occassions)... Has scored in double figures in 14 consecutive games dating back to last season.

Junior Corey Rouse recorded his second career double-double and second in as many games... Scored a career-high 15 points (previous was 14 against Charlotte, February 7, 2004)... Pulled down 11 rebounds, tying his career-high set against Gardner-Webb last Tuesday... Made a career-high seven field goals (previous was five on three occassions).

Freshman Josh King made his first career start...Tied his career-high for assists with four... Made at least one three-point field goal in a game for the fourth time in five games... Saw his most extensive action of the season, playing 31 minutes.