ECU Hosts Houston Searching For Second-Straight Win
February 15, 2012 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 15, 2012
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| Houston at East Carolina Feb. 16, 2012 | 7:00 p.m. ET Greenville, N.C. (Minges Coliseum) TV: None |
 Watch Online |  Gametracker |  Game Notes |  Tickets |  Gameday Central |
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GREENVILLE, N.C. - After picking up its first Conference USA win of the year last Sunday, East Carolina looks to make it two consecutive victories when the Pirates host Houston Thursday at Minges Coliseum in a 7 p.m. tipoff.
Not only did ECU win its first league game of the campaign, but the Pirates also snapped a 14-game losing skid which dated back to Dec. 18 and a 70-64 triumph over Jacksonville. East Carolina plays three of its final five C-USA contests at home, which could provide the Pirates with some momentum heading into the conference tournament in Memphis.
For the second consecutive game, sophomore Kristine Mial paced the Pirates offensively as she scored a season-high 19 points to go along with seven rebounds and two blocks. Senior Chareya Smith posted 16 points and was 4-for-6 from the foul line - including hitting a crucial four of five attempts in the final 2:30 of the game. Bryelle Smith helped the offense flow, posting four of the team's 15 assists. Additionally, with two three-point field goals in the game, Mial extended her streak of games played with a made three to 11.
East Carolina shot 42 percent from the floor, knocking down 22 shots on 53 attempts while limiting the Herd to just 33 percent (18 of 55). The Pirates also won the rebounding battle 38-36, which was significant since Marshall entered the game out-rebounding its opponents by almost six boards per contest. After shooting just four free throws in the first half, ECU knocked down nine of its 12 tries in the final 20 minutes as well as all six in the last minute of the game.
After trailing 24-21 at halftime, East Carolina out-scored Marshall 40-33 in the second stanza - marking the first time since the win over Monmouth on Nov. 30 that the Pirates have netted at least 40 points in a single half. ECU also reached the 60-point plateau after 14-straight outings below the mark.
Inside the Matchup
- Houston enters the contest on a nine-game slide and has not won since a 56-49 decision at Southern Miss on Jan. 8. In their last outing, the Cougars fell 69-41 at Memphis.
- Senior Roxanna Button paces the Houston offense and is scoring 17.3 points per game while freshman Terran Alford is averaging a team-best 6.1 rebounds per contest.
- ECU looks for its first-ever win over the Cougars at Minges Coliseum, having dropped the previous four meetings.
- Houston head coach Todd Buchanan served as an assistant coach for East Carolina from 1998-2000.
THE SERIES: HOUSTON
East Carolina and Houston meet for the 11th time in a series that began in 2002. The Cougars have dominated the series by a 9-1 count and won the first eight games before the Pirates picked up an overtime win in Houston on Jan. 15, 2010.
ON THEIR WAY TO SEE THE PIRATES PLAY
The crowd of 3,258 that witnessed the win over Marshall represents the fifth-largest in program history. A throng of 4,500 people, the most to ever watch a women's basketball game at East Carolina showed up on a snowy evening in 1981 as ECU fell to nationally-ranked USC.
CASHING IN ON THE FREEBIES
After suffering through a dismal stretch at the foul line to begin the season, the Pirates have dramatically improved at the stripe. During the last 10 games, ECU is firing at 67 percent. At Southern Miss, East Carolina knocked down 14 of its 15 attempts from the line for season-best 93 percent - the highest for the Pirates since a 16-for-17 performance at Tulane on Jan. 13 of last season.
MIAL DIALED IN FROM RANGE
Sophomore Kristine Mial is getting it done from beyond the arc recently. In the last six games, she has hit 12 three-point field goals, including three at UAB to end up with a team-best 13 points. Currently, Mial owns a 11-game streak of at least one three-pointer made.
EDWARDS CLOSING IN ON BLOCKS TOP 10
Junior Britny Edwards picked up three blocks against Marshall Sunday to move her within seven of catching Jean Best for 10th on the single-season list.
SUCCESS AT MINGES
ECU has won 13 of its last 19 overall and eight of the last 13 in conference play at Minges Coliseum. Going even further back, the Pirates have captured 39 of the last 53 contests in Greenville.
CONFERENCE USA: THE 11TH SEASON
East Carolina is in its 11th 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). The Pirates notched their first league tournament title with 79-70 triumph over Rice in the 2007 championship game at the Reynolds Center in Tulsa, Okla.
THREE ME
With five (5) three-point field goals drained against Marshall, East Carolina has made at least two triples in 66-straight games.
UP NEXT FOR EAST CAROLINA
East Carolina travels to Tulsa Sunday for the first time since the 2008-09 season as the Pirates battle the much-improved Golden Hurricane at the Reynolds Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
