ECU Travels To Clemson Wednesday Night

ECU Travels To Clemson Wednesday Night

12/28/2004

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East Carolina will play its first game in nine days Wednesday, December 29, as its travels across the state line to Clemson, S.C. for a first-ever meeting with the Tigers at Littlejohn Coliseum on the Clemson University campus. It'll be the Pirates' second consecutive game against a Palmetto State opponent. ECU fell to South Carolina, 57-53, in game one of the Coors Classic in Mobile. Ala. before heading home for the holidays.

The Pirates will look to secure their first road win of the season and end a four-game losing streak. ECU opened the season with impressive victories over Pepperdine and Oregon State in the BCA Invitational, but have gone 2-6 since the semifinal win over the Beavers.

Sophomore Mike Cook continues to rank among the leading scorers in Conference USA, ranking ninth with a 16.0 ppg average. Cook tossed in a career-best 24 points against South Carolina last time out.

With increased minutes this season, junior Corey Rouse is playing excellent basketball. Rouse is nearly averaging a double-double with 10.4 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. He recorded his third consecutive double digit rebounding performance against South Carolina with 13 boards. He has grabbed double figure rebounds in half of East Carolina's first 10 games.

Senior Moussa Badiane will look to rediscover his touch around the basket against the Tigers. Despite being held under double figures scoring in each of the last three games, Badiane still ranks second on the team in scoring (12.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.3 rpg). He has blocked 27 shots this season and remains on pace to surpass Kenyon Martin as Conference USA's all-time leader in blocked shots.

Sophomore Japhet McNeil, regarded as the team's best on-the-ball defender, has done a good job of getting his teammates involved recently. He is averaging 5.0 assists per game the last three games and leads the team in total assists with 38. Freshmen Tom Hammonds, Jonathan Hart and junior college transfer Mike Castro have also played well recently.

The Book On Clemson

Clemson enters Wednesday's game with an overall record of 8-3 and an unblemished mark of 6-0 at Littlejohn Coliseum.

In six of its eight victories, Clemson has held it opponent to less than 60 points.

The Tigers are holding their opponents to 63.6 points per game, while averaging 75.5 points per contest.

The Tigers have outrebounded 10 of 11 opponents this season.

A trio of Tigers are averaging double figures led by Sharrod Ford with 14.7 points per game. Ford also leads the Tigers in rebounding with 7.9 boards per game.

Shawan Robinson is Clemson's top three-point shooter at 40.5 percent (24-59).

Ford and Robinson are the only two players to start all 11 games for the Tigers.

Five players have recorded double digit steals this season led by Vernon Hamilton with 29.

Clemson Head Coach Oliver Purnell is in his second season with the Tigers and has a record of 18-21 at the school.

Series History

Wednesday's game will mark the first-ever meeting between the East Carolina Pirates and Clemson Tigers on the basketball court.

ECU-Clemson Connections

Coaches Bill Herrion and Oliver Purnell both served as assistant coaches on the 1996 USA 22 & under team that won the gold medal at the World Junior Championships.

Purnell is 7-3 all-time against East Carolina, while Herrion has never coached against Clemson.

ECU and Clemson share three common opponents this season: NC State, South Carolina and UAB.

ECU Head Baseball Coach Randy Mazey is a 1998 Clemson graduate.

ECU Senior Associate AD Nick Floyd (1982) and Assistant Director of Marketing Mike Money ('00) are each Clemson alumni.

ECU Director of Athletics Terry Holland compiled a record of 23-14 against Clemson as the head coach at Virginia from 1975-1990.

ECU Vs. The ACC

East Carolina has just six wins in its history against current Atlantic Coast Conference members. Five of those six wins are against Virginia Tech, while other one is against Georgia Tech.

Following Wednesday's game against Clemson, the Pirates will have played 10 of the league's 11 members. The only team ECU hasn't played is Miami. ECU has also played Boston College once.

ECU Starts 2005 With SAC
East Carolina will open 2005 against Division II St. Andrews on Jan. 3 in its final non-conference tilt of the season. St. Andrews will be the Pirates' second DII opponent of the year. Earlier this season, East Carolina ran past Belmont Abbey to open its home schedule, 77-50.

South Carolina Leftovers

Sophomore Mike Cook recorded his third 20-point game of the season and scored a career-high 24 points.

East Carolina recorded its largest rebounding differential of the year, outrebounding the Gamecocks by 14, 45-31.

Sophomore Core Rouse led East Carolina in rebounding for the fourth consecutive game and the sixth time this season.

East Carolina used its sixth different starting lineup of season and Cook didn't start for the first time this year.

Junior Mike Castro scored a career-best eight points and recorded seven rebounds in a game for the fourth time in 2004.

Sophomore Japhet McNeil tied his career-high for rebounds with seven.

ECU lost on a neutral court during the regular season for the first time since 2000, snapping a seven-game winning streak.

Going Home For Awhile
Following Wednesday's game at Clemson, East Carolina will return home for an extended stay to open 2005 and Conference USA play. The Pirates will play four of their next five games in the friendly confines of Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum with its only road game being a bus ride to Charlotte on Jan. 8. ECU will open C-USA play against USF on Jan. 5 and then host Cincinnati (Jan. 12) and UAB (Jan. 15) following its game against the 49ers in the "Queen City."

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