Pirates Host Delaware State To Open 2011 ECU Thanksgiving Tournament
November 25, 2011 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 25, 2011
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| East Carolina vs. Delaware State Nov. 26, 2011 | 4 p.m. ET Greenville, N.C. (ECU Thanksgiving Tournament) TV: None |
 Watch |  Gametracker |  Game Notes |  Tickets |  Gameday Central |
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GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina looks to get back into the win column over the holiday weekend, hosting the 2011 ECU Thanksgiving Tournament. The Pirates face Delaware State and Elon during the event.
In last year's tournament, East Carolina lost to nationally-ranked Maryland 76-60 in its opening contest before rallying to down Massachusetts 97-83 to close the weekend.
ECU suffered a 64-53 setback at UNC Wilmington Sunday to even its record at 2-2. Junior Shala Hodges and freshman Dana Jones paced the offense for the second-straight contest, netting nine points apiece while junior Britny Edwards contributed eight points and seven rebounds off the bench.
East Carolina was limited to a .392 shooting clip but the Pirates did win the rebounding battle by a 37-36 count - including 11 offensive boards.
The Lady Hornets enter Saturday's contest off a 65-49 loss at home to NJIT Wednesday and, like ECU, is 2-2 overall. Redshirt freshman Tierra Hawkins led DSU for the fourth straight game with 20 points. Sophomore Tasia Bristow was the only other Lady Hornet player in double figures with 19 points - 17 of those coming in the second half. Hawkins also led the team with eight rebounds.
The Highlander bench outscored the Lady Hornets' bench, 24-4, and as a team shot 41.7 percent compared to DSU's 28.6 percent.
THE SERIES: DELAWARE STATE
East Carolina and Delaware State meet today for the fifth time in a series that dates back to 1989. The Pirates hold a 4-0 advantage and won the only game played in Greenville by a 72-70 score on Jan. 18, 1989.
ECU AGAINST THE MEAC
East Carolina holds an all-time mark of 34-11 (.756) against the current members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Pirates have faced Bethune Cookman (2-0), Coppin State (3-1), Delaware State (4-0), Florida A&M (1-0), Hampton (5-1), Howard (5-1), Maryland Eastern Shore (1-0), North Carolina A&T (10-5) and South Carolina State (3-3).
TENACIOUS "D"
ECU has held each of its four opponents under 65 points to begin the season for the first time since the 1973-74 campaign. The Pirates are also averaging a Conference USA-best 46.2 points allowed per game as well as 34.5 turnovers forced and 21.3 steals a contest. The steals and points allowed currently put East Carolina first and ninth in the nation, respectively.
SHALA'S SCORING SURGE
After averaging just 4.5 points per game last season, junior Shala Hodges is poised to have a breakout year offensively. She is putting in a team-best 14.0 points per contest so far and netted a career-high 28 points against Virginia Intermont. Hodges also leads the team at the foul line, converting 19 of her 26 attempts.
DOUBLE TROUBLE - FRESHMAN STYLE
With her double-double (11 points, 11 rebounds) against St. Andrew's, freshman forward Tatiana Chapple is the first ECU player to record a double-double in her rookie season since Jean Best scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds versus UCF on Feb. 15, 2009.
MINGES SUCCESS
Since the beginning of the 2008-09 season, no one has been better than East Carolina at home in Conference USA play. The Pirates have racked up a 20-4 ledger.
ON THEIR WAY TO SEE THE PIRATES PLAY
It could be said that one reason for East Carolina's sparkling home record was the fan support given by the Greenville and surrounding communities. The Pirates welcomed 26,213 fans to Minges Coliseum last season, an average of 1,872 per contest. That figure led Conference USA for the third-straight year.
THE STARTING 10
It seems like the Pirate bench gets deeper with each passing season and is an extension of the starting five. There is some truth to that statement, as East Carolina's bench has outscored its opponents' benches in 76 of the last 97 games.
WHEN MAKING 30...
East Carolina converted 47 field goals against St. Andrew's, marking the 29th time since the start of the 2006-07 campaign that the Pirates have made 30 or more baskets in a single game.
UP NEXT FOR EAST CAROLINA
The Pirates will close out the ECU Thanksgiving Tournament with a contest against in-state rival Elon at 4:30 p.m. The game marks the first meeting between the programs since 1998.
