ECU Welcomes SMU For Pink Zone Game
February 16, 2011 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 16, 2011
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East Carolina Women's Basketball Gameday Central
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET • Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011
Location: Minges Coliseum (8,000) • Greenville, N.C.
Series History: SMU leads, 4-3
Last Time Against SMU: L, 73-59 (1/23/10 at Dallas, Texas)
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina women's basketball team hosts its annual Pink Zone game Thursday, welcoming SMU to Minges Coliseum for the first time since 2008. Free admission will be offered to anyone wearing pink.
The WBCA began the WBCA Pink Zone in 2007 as an initiative to raise breast cancer awareness in women's basketball, on campuses and in communities. The late Kay Yow, ECU alumna and former North Carolina State University head women's basketball coach, served as the catalyst for the initiative after her third reoccurrence of breast cancer in 2006.
The Pirates look to rebound from a 77-60 loss at league leader Houston Sunday but have still won four of their last six contests.
It will be just the third time in eight meetings that SMU has played at Minges Coliseum and the Mustangs have won four straight in the series, including a 73-59 triumph at Moody Coliseum last season. ECU last defeated the Mustangs 76-62 in the quarterfinals of the 2007 C-USA Tournament.
ABOUT US...
The Pirates are 11-13 overall entering the contest as well as 5-6 in C-USA action. Senior Allison Spivey became the 21st player in program history to score 1,000 career points as she netted nine at Houston. East Carolina shot a season-low 30.5 percent from the field and was out-rebounded 49-41 in the loss to the Cougars. Free throw shooting has been a bright spot in conference play, with ECU ranking second in the league at 72.2 percent. The Pirates are using their depth to their advantage as a bench player has scored in double figures in 22 of the last 23 games. After playing two out of three on the road to start the second half of its league schedule, East Carolina will contest three of its last five tilts at Minges Coliseum in an attempt to snag one of the four top spots in the standings and a first-round bye in the C-USA Tournament in El Paso.
ABOUT THEM...
SMU enters the game at 13-11 overall and 6-5 in C-USA play after a 66-58 win at home against Tulsa Sunday. The Mustangs are one of the better shooting teams in the league, ranking fifth in field goal percentage (.410) and first in three-point percentage (.356). SMU is also the top free throw shooting squad in C-USA, knocking down 72 percent of their attempts. Three Mustangs score in double figures on average with Christine Elliott, Samantha Mahnesmith and Delisha Wills putting up 10.9, 10.8 and 10.6 points per game respectively. Elliott is also the team's top rebounder, pulling down 7.9 a contest. SMU has captured three of its last four decisions, defeating Tulane, Marshall and Tulsa at home while losing to Rice on the road.
THE LAST MEETING (JANUARY 23, 2010)...
East Carolina fell victim to a streaking SMU team, losing 73-59 Saturday at Moody Coliseum. Allison Spivey led the offense with 15 points in the contest while Kim Gay added 12. Ashley Clarke was the top rebounder, as she pulled down seven. The Pirates were plagued by 23 turnovers, which led to a stout 31 points for the Mustangs. Brittany Gilliam knocked down four three-point field goals for SMU, leading to a game-high 19 points. Additionally, Jillian Samuels was six-for-six at the line as she ended up with 11 points.
PIRATES ROLL DEEP...
In 22 of the last 24 games, at least one player off the bench has scored in double figures. In fact, in the contests against UNC Wilmington, Virginia Union, Prarie View A&M, Memphis and Rice, two players that did not start netted at least 10 points.
A NEW LOW...
Marshall's 43 points are the least ECU has ever allowed in a Conference USA road contest. The previous mark was 52 by Southern Miss when the Pirates went down to Reed Green Coliseum in Hattiesburg and won a 68-52 decision on Feb. 22, 2007.
CONFERENCE USA: THE 10TH SEASON...
East Carolina is in its 10th year as a basketball member of C-USA. Starting in 2001, the Pirates became eligible to compete for the league title after contributing 17 years as a constituent of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Four years ago, ECU finished third in the regular season standings, its highest ranking since joining the conference. The Pirates also notched their first league tournament title with 79-70 triumph over Rice in the 2007 championship game at the Reynolds Center in Tulsa, Okla.
SUCCESS CLOSER TO HOME...
Since Conference USA split into East and West divisions before the 2005-06 campaign, ECU has fared much better against its eastern neighbors. In five seasons, the Pirates have recorded a 46-29 (.613) mark against the eastern members while producing a 17-32 (.347) ledger vs. the western side.
ANYONE, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE...
The Pirates have taken on some of the nation's best this season. According to realtimerpi.com, ECU's slate is ranked as the 55th-toughest in the country. Among the teams the Pirates have faced are UCLA (7), Maryland (16), Houston (27), Charlotte (49), UNC Wilmington (77), UCF (89), Hampton (93), Tulane (94), Memphis (95) and VCU (97)
SIGNED AND SEALED...
The Pirates have signed two top 65 position recruits in Courtney Melvin and Ja'Nesha Ebron as well as the No. 102 ranked forward from Columbus, Ohio, Tatiana Chapple. Melvin was ranked the No. 31 post player in the nation by ESPN HoopGurlz while Ebron was tabbed No. 61 among guards by the same website. Both signees have North Carolina state championship game experience, as Melvin has led East Bladen High School to the last two title games (1A and 2A) and Ebron helped South Central to a 3A championship appearance. Current assistant coach Ann Hancock held the scoring record at East Bladen with 2,276 but Melvin broke it in the first half of a recent win - scoring the needed layup at the halftime buzzer.
SLOW STARTERS...
If the stats are any indication thus far, the Pirates can certainly call themselves a "second half" team. ECU has scored 924 points in the second 20 minutes as opposed to 811 in the first stanza.
WIRE TO WIRE...
In four of the Pirates' 10 wins this season, they have led the entire game. Virginia Union, Massachusetts, Prairie View and UAB were the teams that could not manage a lead against ECU.
TAKE THE LEAD AND RUN...
In 12 of their 13 losses, the Pirates have trailed at the half. Conversely, they have won 10 games when leading at the break and one when the score was tied.
ALL IT TAKES IS 30...
East Carolina converted 32 field goals against Southern Miss, marking the 27th time since the start of the 2006-07 campaign that the Pirates have accomplished the feat.
YOU'LL GET TO PLAY...
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 69 of the last 88 games and 18 of 24 this year.
SHARING IS CARING...
The Pirates recorded 28 assists on 36 made field goals against Massachusetts. It was just seven shy of the school record and the most since ECU tallied the same number against Houston-Baptist last season. Additionally, the Pirates turned the ball over just nine times for a stellar assist/turnover ratio of 3.1. The Pirates also shared the ball well against UCF, registering 20 assists on 23 baskets and then again at Houston with 13 helpers on 18 buckets.
THREE ME...
In hitting 12 three-point field goals against Virginia Union, the Pirates established a new program single-game record. However, just six days later, ECU did one better with 13 vs. Massachusetts then did it again against Florida A&M in Iowa and at home against Southern Miss Thursday. With four triples at Marshall senior Allison Spivey took over sole possession of first-place on the program ledger.
THE GOOD KIND OF OFFENSIVE...
ECU owns the top two offensive outputs among C-USA teams this season with 102 points against Virginia Union and 97 vs. Massachusetts. The Pirates also boast one of the two highest single-game assist totals - 28 against the Minutewomen. Additionally, the 91 points scored against Southern Miss were the most by a C-USA team in a conference game this season.
THE PATH TO 600...
East Carolina is just two wins away from recording its 600th victory in program history.
GETTING ON THE GLASS...
In the last nine games, ECU has out-rebounded its opponent by an average of 4.1 (372-335). In the three prior contests, opponents enjoyed a +9.7 margin - including five more offensive boards.
BEING MORE STINGY WITH THE FREEBIES...
In their first three league games, the Pirates committed 88 personal fouls which led to 124 free throw attempts for their opponents. However, in the last eight contests, ECU has shot 168 free throws while its foes have shot 148.
ECU BENEFITS FROM JEAN'S BEST...
Jean Best has scored in double figures six times this season. In those games, the Pirates hold a 3-3 record with two of the losses against No. 8 UCLA and at defending C-USA champion Tulane.
FREE THROWS DO INDEED WIN BALLGAMES...
In 10 of the last 15 games, ECU has hit over 70 percent of its free throw attempts. The Pirates put up a season and C-USA-best 94-percent performance at Tulane, knocking down 16 of 17 from the charity stripe. In C-USA games, East Carolina is second in the league with a 72-percent mark - just .01 behind Houston who is at 72.3 percent.
ON THEIR WAY TO SEE THE PIRATES PLAY...
East Carolina is on track to lead Conference USA in attendance for the third-straight season, having drawn an average of 1,817 fans to Minges Coliseum. In the latest release of the national attendance figures, the Pirates check in at 75th, ahead of such teams as Alabama, UCLA, Colorado, Florida, California, Illinois, Missouri and Syracuse.
BIG CROWDS LEAD TO MINGES SUCCESS...
Since the start of the 2008-09 season, only SMU has been better than East Carolina at home in conference play. The Mustangs have a 19-3 record while the Pirates have racked up a 17-4 ledger.
UP NEXT FOR THE PIRATES...
ECU looks for its first win at the UCF Arena since 2008 when the Pirates travel to Orlando Sunday. East Carolina won the first matchup of the campaign in Greenville back in January, downing the Knights 65-58.
