Pirates Announce 2004-05 Men's Basketball Schedule
September 22, 2004 | Men's Basketball
RALEIGH, N.C. ?? Non-conference games against Clemson and South Carolina, a regular season opening tournament in Raleigh, and visits by Cincinnati and Marquette highlight the 2004-05 East Carolina University men's basketball schedule, released today by University athletic department officials. There are 13 games scheduled against teams that participated in either the NIT or NCAA Tournament last season.
The Pirates begin their season sixth season under head coach Bill Herrion against Pepperdine on Nov. 17 in the opening round of the BCA Invitational at the RBC Center in Raleigh. Host NC State, Elon, Fairleigh Dickinson, New Orleans, Oregon State and Sienna are also in the three-day tournament. ECU then makes a return trip to Gardner-Webb (Nov. 23) after hosting the Bulldogs a year ago.
ECU opens its 13-game home schedule against Belmont Abbey on Sunday, Nov. 28.
As the calendar turns to December, the Pirates will play three of their first four games during the month at home. Toledo, a NIT participant last season, makes its first-ever visit to Greenville on Wednesday, Dec. 1. Following a road date at Western Carolina (Dec. 7), the Pirates return home to face Old Dominion on Sunday, Dec. 12, and Winthrop on Friday, Dec. 17.
After exams conclude, ECU heads to Mobile, Ala., to face South Carolina in the Coors Classic Invitational. This will mark the first meeting between the two schools since 1998 and the Pirates' first game against former head coach Dave Odom. The all-time series is tied at 5-5.
Following a brief Christmas vacation, the Pirates return to action against another Palmetto State foe, Clemson. ECU makes its first trek to Littlejohn Coliseum for a first-ever meeting with the Tigers on Wednesday, Dec. 29. The Pirates will conclude non-conference play at home against St. Andrews on Monday, Jan. 3.
East Carolina begins its fourth season of Conference USA competition on Wednesday, Jan. 5 at Minges Coliseum against USF. It will be the first of two meetings between the two mirror rivals this season. The Pirates will also play Charlotte and UAB twice again this season. Both home games against UAB (Jan. 15) and Charlotte (Jan. 29) will be televised by ESPN Plus.
The Pirates will visit the 49ers on Saturday, Jan. 8 and the Blazers on Wednesday, Feb. 16.
Cincinnati makes its final visit to Minges Coliseum as a C-USA member on Wednesday, Jan. 12. Saint Louis (Jan. 26) and Marquette (Feb. 12), whom are also changing conferences next season, will make their final appearances in Greenville during the 2004-05 campaign. Other C-USA home games include visits from Southern Miss (Feb. 23) and Houston (Feb. 26).
In addition to their three road games against their mirror rivals, the Pirates have conference road dates at Louisville (Jan. 19), DePaul (Jan. 22), Memphis (Feb. 2), TCU (Feb. 5) and Tulane (March 5).
The Conference USA Tournament will be held March 9-12 at the FedEx Forum in Memphis. The top 12 teams in the final regular season standings will all compete for the league's automatic NCAA Tournament bid.
ECU will play exhibition games in November against Newberry (Nov. 4) and Barton (Nov. 11).
