Women's Hoops Hosts No. 23 Maryland
November 25, 2010 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 25, 2010
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East Carolina Women's Basketball Gameday Central
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina opens the Ninth-Annual Pirate Invitational Friday, welcoming No. 23 Maryland to Minges Coliseum for a 6:30 p.m. tip. The contest follows the football team's matchup with SMU and fans can present their football ticket for free admission to the women's basketball game.
ECU is looking for its second-ever win over a ranked opponent, having downed No. 24 N.C. State 89-82 Dec. 9, 2007.
The Pirates are coming off a 102-41 win over Virginia Union Monday which evened their record to 2-2. The 61-point margin of victory was the third-highest in program history and 12th-largest on the Conference USA single-game chart. Additionally, the 12 made three-point field goals set a new school record.
Sophomore Ariana Jackson posted her first career double-double with career-best marks of 16 points and 12 rebounds to lead four East Carolina players in double figures in the scoring column.
Classmate Shala Hodges paced all scorers in the contest, matching her personal best with 17 and setting a career standard with five three-point field goals. Additionally, senior Allison Spivey tallied 12 and junior Ashley Clarke put in 11. Spivey's three triples give her 151 for her career and put her just four from matching Tali Robich for fourth on the program chart.
Clarke flirted with the first triple-double in program history, adding eight rebounds and eight assists to her point output. She also committed a season-low three turnovers while pocketing three steals to bring her season total to 14.
After shooting 44 percent in the first half, East Carolina torched the nets in the second period - hitting 20 of their 29 attempts for a 69-percent showing. In all, the Pirates nailed 37 out of 68 field goals to produce a 54-percent mark from the field, representing the most made since last season against Houston-Baptist (40).
ECU forced 30 turnovers in the game, marking the second time in four games that an opponent has coughed up the ball at least 30 times (American, 36). The Panthers struggled from the field as well, knocking down just 13 of their 54 (.241) attempts. East Carolina grabbed 18 steals while turning the 30 miscues into 40 points.
The Terrapins are coming off of a 78-52 over American Sunday. Freshman Alyssa Thomas led Maryland with 16 points on 6-for-12 shooting from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 mark at the line. Junior Lynetta Kizer scored 12 points and junior Anjale Barrett scored 11. Sophomore Diandra Tchatchouang added nine points for the Terps.
The Terrapins are currently leading the ACC in free throw percentage, shooting 76 percent from the line. Sophomore Tianna Hawkins is one of five players in the ACC to be shooting 100 percent at the free throw line.
In its first four games, Maryland has held a strong advantage on the glass, outrebounding opponents 198-128.
The Terps and the Pirates met for the first time in history last March in the second round of the WNIT. Maryland beat East Carolina 87-52 in College Park.
Maryland and Massachusetts will continue the Invitational Saturday with a contest at 1 p.m. before the Pirates and Minutewomen wrap up the weekend Sunday with a 1 p.m. tipoff.
