Pirates Head To UCF Sunday Afternoon
February 19, 2011 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 19, 2011
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East Carolina Women's Basketball Gameday Central
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Time: 2:00 p.m. ET • Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011
Location: UCF Arena (10,000) • Orlando, Fla.
Series History: East Carolina leads, 8-3
Last Time Against UCF: W, 65-58 (1/30/11 at Greenville, N.C.)
ORLANDO, Fla. - The East Carolina women's basketball team hits the home stretch of Conference USA Sunday, traveling to UCF for a 2 p.m. meeting with the Knights.
The Pirates have won five of their last seven, but have dropped two of three on the road to two of the league's top three teams. ECU improved to 7-5 at home and won their fifth-straight at Minges Coliseum with a 77-70 victory over SMU Thursday.
The Pirates look to snap a two-game skid at the UCF Arena, as East Carolina is 2-3 all-time at the venue. ECU won the first meeting between the teams this season, 65-58. Today's contest marks the 12th in a series that began in 2006, UCF's first season as a women's basketball member of Conference USA. The Pirates lead the series 8-3 and have won three of the last four meetings.
ABOUT US...
The Pirates are 12-13 overall entering the contest as well as 6-6 in C-USA action. Junior Chareya Smith exploded for a career-high 22 points on 10-for-14 shooting against SMU. East Carolina shot a season-best 58.2 percent from the field and owned a 39-32 advantage on the glass as well as registering a campaign second-best 27 assists. The Pirates are using their depth to their advantage as a bench player has scored in double figures in 23 of the last 25 games. With the win against the Mustangs, ECU secured its seventh-straight non-losing record inside Minges Coliseum. The Pirates can clinch a winning ledger with a triumph in its next home tilt against Tulsa Thursday. Addtiionally, East Carolina is currently ranked in the top three in seven statistical categories in the league in terms of conference games only.
ABOUT THEM...
UCF is currently 15-10 overall and 8-4 in C-USA play after a 73-69 overtime win at home against Tulane Sunday. The Knights are on a roll as of late, having won four-straight games after beginning league play at 4-4. UCF is one of the better defensive teams in the league, at least in conference contests, as it is holding its opponents to just 60.6 points. With a scoring average of 66.3, that equates to a +5.7 scoring margin. The Knights also own a positive rebounding margin in league tilts at +3.3. Seniors Chelsie Wiley and D'Nay Daniels pace the UCF offense with 14.4 points per game apiece. Aisha Patrick also averages double figures with 10.5 while Jelisa Caldwell boasts a 9.8 average. Patrick is the Knights' top rebounder at 8.2 a contest.
THE LAST MEETING (JANUARY 30, 2011)...
The East Carolina women's basketball team built a 17-point advantage in the second half Sunday on the way to a 65-58 Conference USA victory at Minges Coliseum. Junior Ashley Clarke topped the offense for ECU, scoring 12 points on 4-for-7 shooting from both the field and the free throw line. Kim Gay and Crystal Wilson also netted double figures with 11 each while both also recorded three assists. East Carolina shot 48 percent (12-of-25) in the second half to finish at 44.2 for the contest while limiting the Knights to a 36-percent showing (22-of-61).
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.
50 PERCENT? No PROBLEM!...
In two of the last three games, the Pirates have shot the ball 56 percent or better from the field, including a season-best 58-percent performance against SMU. Those two efforts have helped ECU to rank second in the league in field goal percentage in conference games.
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 18-32 (.360) 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 965 points in the second 20 minutes as opposed to 847 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 11 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 SMU, marking the 28th 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 89 games and 18 of 25 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 against SMU with 27 helpers on 32 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 one win away from recording its 600th victory in program history.
GETTING ON THE GLASS...
In the last 10 games, ECU has out-rebounded its opponent by an average of 4.4 (411-367). 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 nine contests, ECU has shot 184 free throws while its foes have shot 169.
PIRATES ROLL DEEP...
In 23 of the last 25 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.
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.
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.
FREE THROWS DO INDEED WIN BALLGAMES...
In 10 of the last 16 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 71-percent mark, with Houston in the lead at .734.
21st To 1,000...
Senior Allison Spivey became the 21st player in program history to score 1,000 career points when she netted nine at Houston. She is also seven back of Gaynor O'Donnell and 57 behind Gale Kerbaugh.
UP NEXT FOR THE PIRATES...
ECU returns home to face Tulsa Thursday in the first of its last two home contests of the season. Tipoff at Minges Coliseum is slated for 7 p.m.
