ECU Closes Thanksgiving Tournament Against Cleveland State
November 30, 2013 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 30, 2013
| Game 7: Cleveland State at East Carolina | |
| Date | Sunday, Dec. 1 |
| Time | 2:30 p.m. (ET) |
| Location | Greenville, N.C. | Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum |
| Live Game Coverage | Gametracker (Live Stats) | Live Video |
| Game Notes | East Carolina  | Cleveland State |
| 2013-14 Women's Basketball Statistics | East Carolina | Cleveland State |
| ECU Women's Basketball Central | Gameday Central | Roster | Fact Book |
The Game
The East Carolina women's basketball team concludes the ECU Thanksgiving Tournament Sunday, December 1 as the Pirates play host to Cleveland State at Williams Arena inside Minges Coliseum. Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m. With both teams 1-0 in the tournament, the contest will determine the tournament champion. Live stats, video, and audio will be available on ECUPirates.com.
The Series
The Pirates and the Vikings will meet for the second time in program history and ECU leads the all-time series 1-0. In the only previous meeting between the two teams, East Carolina defeated Cleveland State, 65-55, on November 28, 2003, in Greenville, N.C., at the Lady Pirate Invitational.
Last Time Out
East Carolina is coming off of a 71-51 win against IUPUI to open the Thanksgiving Tournament. The Pirates shot 55.3-percent, while holding IUPUI to 33.9-percent shooting as the Pirates improved to 6-0 on the year, while the Jaguars fell to 5-2. The Pirates shot an impressive 59.2-percent in the first half as they connected on 13-of-22 field goals to take a 30-23 lead at halftime. In the second half ECU used a pair of 9-0 runs to break the game open and the Pirates led by as many as 21 (71-50) before winning the contest by a score of 71-51. Redshirt sophomore forward Jada Payne led all scorers with 18 points, while adding a team-best seven rebounds. Senior forward Kristine Mial (13 points) and Abria Trice (11 points) also scored in double-figures for ECU. Junior guard Janesha Ebron tallied a career-best nine assits to go along with seven points and five rebounds. In the game, the Pirates only allowed the Jaguars to connect on one three-point field goal as IUPUI shot 7.1-percent from beyond the arc. In addition to out-shooting the Jaguars, the Pirates also out-rebounded them (37-30) and held the edge in assists (14-11).
About the Pirates
East Carolina owns a 6-0 record on the year after having defeated Virginia Intermont (102-47), George Mason (75-66), William & Mary (69-57), Loyola (68-47), Elon (93-84), and IUPUI (71-51). This is the first time since the 2009-10 season that the Pirates have opened the year on a six-game winning streak. As a team, ECU is shooting 43.0-percent with a scoring offense of 79.7, while holding opponents to just 58.7 points per game for a scoring margin of +21.0 which ranks 25th in the NCAA. The Pirates are a defensively strong team that leads the nation in steals per game with 15.2. They also rank 28th in turnover margin (+4.8) as the Pirates have forced their opponents into 26.2 turnovers per game. ECU leads C-USA in offensive rebounds per game (20.0) and the Pirates own a rebounding margin of +9.7 which ranks 34th in the nation and second in the conference. Redshirt sophomore forward Jada Payne leads the Pirates in scoring as she averages 18.5 points per game which ranks fifth in C-USA. She has also been solid from three-point range as she is shooting 51.7-percent from beyond the arc to rank fifth in C-USA and 29th in the nation. Redshirt junior guard Abria Trice ranks sixth in the league with 15.5 points per game. Redshirt junior post Ondrea Shaw leads the squad in rebounding as she averages 6.3 boards per game. She is also the team leader in blocks per game with 2.3 which ties her for second in the conference and ranks her 21st in the nation. Junior guard Janesha Ebron leads the Pirates with 33 assists to average 5.5 per game which places her fourth in the league. She is also fourth in the conference with a 2.5 assists to turnover ratio.
Scouting the Vikings
Cleveland State is coming off of a 63-56 overtime victory against IUPUI at the ECU Thanksgiving Tournament. The Vikings are 3-3 on the year with wins over Lake Erie (76-48), Morehead State (76-67), and IUPUI (63-56). As a team, the Vikings are shooting 43.7-percent from the field and averaging 72.0 points per game. Cleveland State averages 31.5 rebounds per game, 14.0 assists per game, 11.7 steals per game and 2.8 blocks per game. The Vikings have three double-figure scorers in Kiersten Green (17.5 points per game), Imani Gordon (14.7 ppg), and Cori Coleman (11.8 ppg). Gordon also leads the squad in boards with 9.0 rebounds per game, while adding 14 steals. Green is the team leader in assists with 21, while Haley Schmitt owns a team-best five blocks to go along with a team-high 56.1-field goal percentage. Coleman leads the Vikings with 16 steals to average 2.7 per game.
On This Date in ECU Women's Basketball History
The East Carolina women's basketball team embarks on the 13th contest played on December 1 in program history when the Pirates host Cleveland State on Sunday. In the Lady Pirates' 44-year history, ECU has compiled a 4-8 record on December 1. The Pirates first set foot on the hardwood on this date in 1979 and fell to Duke, 76-75, in Durham, N.C. Last season, East Carolina was victorious over Monmouth at the Navy Classic with a 64-49 win in Annapolis, Md.
Home Sweet Home
Last season, ECU closed out the year with an impressive 14-1 record while playing at Minges Coliseum. After starting the 2013-14 season with a 5-0 record in Greenville, the Pirates have extended their home winning streak to 18 games. East Carolina has not lost a home match in one year as the last time the Pirates were defeated inside Minges Coliseum was on November 17, 2012 when they dropped a 72-62 decision to College of Charleston.
Leading the Nation
The NCAA sent out the national statistical ranking for the first time this season and East Carolina was ranked in the top 50 in eight categories. The Pirates lead the nation in steals per game (15.2) and are tied for first in win-loss percentage (100.0) as they have not lost a game yet. ECU ranks 25th in scoring margin (+21.0) and 28th in turnover margin (+4.8). The Pirates come in 34th in scoring offense (79.7), 34th in rebound margin (+9.7), 47th in blocked shots per game (4.2), and 48th in free throw percentage (74.2).
Cleaning Up The Glass
The Pirates have accumulated 270 rebounds to average 45.0 per game which leads Conference USA. In holding their opponents to 35.3 rebounds per game, the Pirates own a rebounding margin of +9.7 which ranks second in C-USA and 34th in the nation. Redshirt junior post Ondrea Shaw is the team-leader in boards as she averages 6.3 per game to rank in the top 20 in the conference.
Pouring In The Points
The Pirates have three double-figure scorers in redshirt sophomore forward Jada Payne, redshirt junior guard Abria Trice, and senior forward Kristine Mial. Payne leads the Pirates with 18.5 points per game, while Trice averages 15.5. Their averages rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in the conference. As a team, ECU owns a scoring offense of 79.7 to rank third in the league and 34th in the nation, while the Pirates limit their opponents to 58.7 points per game for a scoring margin of +21.0 which is also third in the conference and 25th in the NCAA.
Getting Defensive
A defensively strong team, East Carolina has limited its opponents to 58.7 points per game, while averaging 79.7 points per game for a scoring margin of +21.0. The Pirates' scoring margin (+21.0) and scoring offense (79.7) rank third in C-USA and 25th and 34th in the NCAA, respectively. Additionally, the Pirates have collected 91 steals to average 15.2 per game to lead both the conference and the nation. ECU has also forced their counterparts into 157 turnovers to average 26.2 per game for a turnover margin of +4.8 which is good for fourth in the league and 28th in the NCAA. The Pirates have also put up 25 blocks to average 4.2 per game which is good for fourth in the league and 47th in the nation. Three Pirates in Abria Trice, Jada Payne and Janesha Ebron have each grabbed 13 steals to average 2.6 per game to rank sixth in the league. Redshirt junior post Ondrea Shaw has collected a team-best 14 blocks (2.8 per game) which ties for second in the league and is good for 21st in the nation.
Pirates Plunder, Pillage, and Steal
Like their namesake, the Pirates are known for steals. ECU has grabbed 91 steals this season to average 15.2 per game which sets the standard in both Conference USA and the NCAA. The Pirates have forced their opponents into 26.2 turnovers per game and own a turnover margin of +4.8 which ranks fourth in the league and 28th in the nation. A trio of Pirates in Jada Payne, Janesha Ebron, and Abria Trice, are tied for sixth in C-USA as they average 2.6 steals per game. Additionally, senior forward Kristine Mial ranks 11th in the conference as she averages 2.3 steals per contest.
Thanks For the Assistance
The Pirates have dished out 90 assists this season to average 15.0 per game which ranks fourth in Conference USA. East Carolina owns an assist to turnover ratio of 0.7 for a fifth-place ranking in the league. Junior guard Janesha Ebron is the team-leader with 33 helpers on the year to average 5.5 per game which ranks her fourth in the conference. She is also fourth in C-USA with an assist to turnover ratio of 2.5.
Block Party
ECU has put up 25 blocks to average 4.2 per game which is good for fourth in Conference USA statistics and 47th in the nation. The Pirates have limited their opponents to 3.2 blocks per game on the year. Junior post Ondrea Shaw leads the team with 14 blocks for an average of 2.3 blocks per game which ties her for second in the conference and ranks her 21st in the NCAA.
100-Point Games
ECU has recorded 100 or more points on 22 occasions during the program's 44-year history. Most recently, East Carolina dropped 102 points on Virginia Intermont as the Pirates defeated the Cobras by 55 points (102-47). The first time ECU reached the 100-point mark came on December 5, 1978, when the Pirates trounced Wake Forest, 102-48, in Greenville. The most points ever scored by an ECU women's basketball team occurred on February 13, 2004, when the Pirates poured in 119 points in a quadruple overtime loss to TCU, 125-119.
ECU in C-USA
As a team, East Carolina ranks in the top five in 17 of 21 Conference USA statistical categories this season. The Pirates are first in steals per game (17.4), rebounding offense (46.6), offensive rebounds per game (21.6), and offensive rebounding percentage (49.5). Additionally the Pirates are second in the league free throw percentage (74.8) and rebounding margin (+10.2). ECU ranks third in scoring offense (81.4), scoring margin (+21.2), rebounding defense (36.4), and three-point field goals made per game (6.6). The Pirates are also ranked fourth in blocked shots per game (4.8), assists per game (15.2), and turnover margin (+6.4), while they rank fifth in scoring defense (60.2), field goal percentage (41.3), three-point field goal percentage (32.0), and assist to turnover ratio (0.8).
Pirates in C-USA
Five Pirates have found themselves ranked in the top 20 in Conference USA individual statistics this year. Redshirt junior Ondrea Shaw is tied for second in blocks per game with 2.0. She is also listed ninth in offensive rebounds per game (3.4) and tied for 18th in rebounds per game (7.0). Redshirt sophomore forward Jada Payne ranks second in C-USA with 2.6 three-point field goals made per game. She also ranks fifth in three-point field goal percentage (52.0) and scoring (18.6 points per game). Payne is tied for sixth with 2.6 steals per game. Junior guard Janesha Ebron is fourth in both assists per game (4.8) and assist to turnover ratio (2.0), while also tying for sixth with 2.6 steals per game, and 14th with an 84.2-percent free throw percentage. Redshirt junior guard Abria Trice is ranked fourth in free throw shooting with a percentage of 88.5, while ranking sixth in scoring (16.4 points per game), and tying for sixth in steals per game (2.6). Senior forward Kristine Mial is tied for 11th in the conference in steals per game as she averages 2.3.
The "New" Conference USA
Conference USA was one of the many conferences that saw realignments over the summer. July 1, 2013 marked the addition of Charlotte, FIU, Florida Atlantic, LA Tech, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Old Dominion, and UTSA to C-USA. While the conference expanded with the eight new member institutions, it also parted ways with Houston, Memphis, SMU and UCF as all four joined the American Athletic Conference. 2013 will mark the last year of ECU's affiliation with Conference USA as the Pirates will join the American Athletic Conference beginning next season.
Notables
? Junior forward Shae Nelson and redshirt senior post Ariana Jackson will be out indefinitely due to injuries
? Redshirt junior guard Kyani White has been suspended indefinitely due to a violation of university policy
Coming Up...
Following a 12 day hiatus for finals, East Carolina will return to action on Friday, December 13, when the Pirates head to Monroe, Louisiana to compete in the Warhawk Classic. ECU will battle it out with Alcorn State at 5 p.m.
