Pirates Entertain Southern Miss Thursday
February 09, 2011 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 9, 2011
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East Carolina Women's Basketball Gameday Central
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET • Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011
Location: Minges Coliseum (8,000) • Greenville, N.C.
Series History: East Carolina leads, 9-7
Last Time Against Southern Miss: L, 70-67 OT (1/23/11 at Hattiesburg, Miss.)
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina looks to get back in the win column Thursday as Southern Miss travels to Greenville for a key Conference USA battle at Minges Coliseum.
The Pirates have won four of their last six contests to keep pace for one of the top four spots in the league standings. The Golden Eagles have dropped two in a row after a three game winning streak to fall back into a tie with ECU. Southern Miss seeks a sweep of the season series after downing the Pirates 70-67 in overtime back on Jan. 23 at Reed Green Coliseum in Hattiesburg.
Today's contest marks the 17th in a series that began in 2002, East Carolina's first season as a member of Conference USA. The Pirates have a 9-7 lead and have won six of the last nine meetings.
The game is designated as CommUnity Night, with all government employees and their immediate families receiving free admission with a valid ID.
21st To 1,000...
Senior Allison Spivey is just 20 points away from becoming the 21st player in program history to record 1,000 for a career. She is also 35 back of Gaynor O'Donnell and 85 behind Gale Kerbaugh.
PIRATES ROLL DEEP...
ECU is currently on an 21-game streak in which 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.
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 45-29 (.608) mark against the eastern members while producing a 17-31 (.354) 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 53rd-toughest in the country. Among the teams the Pirates have faced are UCLA (7), Maryland (12), Charlotte (56), UNC Wilmington (69), Memphis (87), Tulane (91), VCU (96) and Hampton (99).
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 holds the scoring record at East Bladen with 2,276 but Melvin started the season just 547 points away from tying Hancock and is currently 17 away from the record.
SLOW STARTERS...
If the stats are any indication thus far, the Pirates can certainly call themselves a "second half" team. ECU has scored 848 points in the second 20 minutes as opposed to 736 in the first stanza.
TAKE THE LEAD AND RUN...
In 11 of their 12 losses, the Pirates have trailed at the half. Conversely, they have won nine games when leading at the break and one when the score was tied.
ALL IT TAKES IS 30...
East Carolina converted 31 field goals against Florida A&M, marking the 26th 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 68 of the last 86 games and 17 of 22 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 Marshall with 19 helpers for 24 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. 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.
FREE THROWS DO INDEED WIN BALLGAMES...
In nine of the last 13 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.
THE PATH TO 600...
East Carolina is just three wins away from recording its 600th victory in program history.
GETTING ON THE GLASS...
In the last seven games, ECU has out-rebounded its opponent by an average of 4.4 (288-257). 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 six contests, ECU has shot 125 free throws while its foes have shot 112.
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 1,832 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 17-3 record while the Pirates have racked up a 16-4 ledger.
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.
UP NEXT FOR THE PIRATES...
ECU heads to Houston Sunday for a nationally televised bout with the Cougars. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:45 p.m. ET and is part of ESPN's February Frenzy. The contest will air on ESPN2.
