ECU Battles Tulane in Mid-Week Conference Contest
January 15, 2014 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 15, 2014
| Game 16: East Carolina at Tulane | |
| Date | Wednesday, January 15 |
| Time | 8:00 p.m. (ET) |
| Location | New Orleans, La. |
| Live Game Coverage | | Live Video |
| Game Notes | East Carolina  |
| 2013-14 Women's Basketball Statistics | East Carolina | Tulane |
| ECU Women's Basketball Central | Gameday Central | Roster | Fact Book |
The Game
The East Carolina women's basketball team continues their road swing as they head to New Orleans, La., to go head-to-head with Tulane on Wednesday, January 15 at 8 p.m. ET.
The Series
The Pirates and the Panthers will meet for the 17th time in program history. Tulane leads the all-time series 12-4. However, East Carolina was victorious in the last meeting as the Pirates edged the Green Wave, 55-52, in New Orleans. The Pirates' win last season marked their first over the Green Wave in eight meetings as ECU had not defeated Tulane since 2008 before last year.
Last Time Out
East Carolina dropped a 76-75 overtime contest to FIU in Miami on Saturday night to mark the Pirates' first conference loss of the year. ECU was led by redshirt junior guard Abria Trice who scored a career-high 31 points in the setback while adding a game-high four steals, four rebounds, two assists and one block. Redshirt junior post Ondrea Shaw tied her career-high with 10 rebounds while also contributing a game-high four blocks and as many points. Senior forward Kristine Mial recorded 13 points, while redshirt sophomore forward Jada Payne turned in an 11-point performance. Junior guard Janesha Ebron dished out a game-high seven assists to go along with four boards, two points and one steal. Despite holding the edge in rebounds, 43-39, East Carolina was out-shot by FIU 42.4-percent to 36.8 in the game. The Pirates recorded 10 steals in the contest, while limiting the Panthers to five. The two teams fought through six lead changes and four ties in the first half alone which ended in a 35-35 deadlock. The second half began as a defensive battle that saw neither team score a field goal for nearly three minutes. Despite a 9-0 by FIU, East Carolina chipped away and tied the game at 68-all at the end of regulation. Although ECU took a 75-72 advantage in the overtime period, a pair of turnovers proved costly for the Pirates as FIU edged out East Carolina by one (76-75) in ECU's first overtime contest of the season.
About the Pirates
East Carolina saw its five-game winning streak snapped at FIU on Saturday as the Pirates dropped to 13-2 on the year and 1-1 in Conference USA action. As a team, ECU is shooting 41.5-percent from the field which ranks sixth in Conference USA. The Pirates are outscoring their opponents 75.3 points per game to 59.5 for a scoring margin of +15.8 which is good for third in the league. East Carolina owns the advantage in rebounding as the Pirates average 43.3 boards per game, while limiting their counterparts to a conference-leading 35.4 for a rebounding margin of +7.9 which also leads C-USA. The Pirates also lead the conference in blocks per game (5.4) and steals per contest (12.2). Redshirt sophomore Jada Payne is the team's leading scorer as she averages 20.9 points per game which is good for third in the league. Payne also leads the Pirates in rebounding with an average of 7.4 boards per game to rank 11th in C-USA. The Hickory, N.C., native owns a three-point field goal percentage of 44.0 which ranks her 26th in the NCAA and first in the conference. Redshirt junior guard Abria Trice is ECU's second leading scorer with 16.9 points per game which is good for seventh in the league. She also contributes 4.1 rebounds per game, a team-best 28 steals, 18 assists and 10 blocks. Redshirt junior post Ondrea Shaw has been key on defense for East Carolina as she leads the team and conference with 3.1 blocks per game. Her blocks per game average is also good for 10th in the nation. Shaw is second on the team with 6.4 rebounds per game, which ranks in the Top-20 in C-USA, while adding 2.8 points per game and 14 steals.
Scouting the Green Wave
Tulane owns an 11-4 overall record and is 2-0 in Conference USA play. The Green Wave is coming off of a pair of conference wins over Marshall (77-61) and Old Dominion (92-62). Tulane is 6-2 when playing at Devlin Fieldhouse this season. The Green Wave averages 70.2 points per game, while holding their opponents to 60.1 for a scoring margin of +10.1. The squad is shooting 42.3-percent from the field, 37.3-percent from three-point range, and 68.2-percernt from the free throw line. Tulane's three-point field goal percentage leads the conference. As a team, the Green Wave average 42.5 rebounds per game, 16.5 assists per contest, 8.0 steals per game and 3.7 blocks per game. Tulane has four double-figure scorers in Danielle Blagg (14.6 points per game), Jamie Kaplan (11.8 points per game), Tiffany Dale (10.3 points per game) and Leslie Vorpahl (10.2 points per game). Dale is the team leader in rebounding as she averages 8.3 boards per game to go along with 19 blocks, 18 steals, and 16 assists. Kaplan has dished out a team-best 97 assists on the year while adding 13 steals, one block and 2.7 rebounds per game.
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 8-0 record in Greenville, the Pirates have extended their home winning streak to 21 games. East Carolina has not lost a home match in more than a 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.
In the Nation
In the NCAA's weekly national statistical rankings East Carolina is ranked in the top 50 in seven categories. The Pirates are sixth in the nation in steals per game as they average 12.2. Additionally, ECU is 16th in blocked shots per game (5.4) and tied for 18th in win-loss percentage (86.7). The Pirates are ranked 25th in scoring margin (+15.8), 26th in field-goal percent defense (35.2), 31st in rebounding margin (+7.9), 36th in free throw percentage (74.6), 37th in three-point field goal defense (27.3), and 42nd in scoring defense (59.5).
Getting Defensive
A defensively strong team, East Carolina has limited its opponents to 59.5 points per game, while averaging 75.3 points per game for a scoring margin of +15.8. The Pirates' scoring margin is third in the conference while their scoring defense ranks second in C-USA. The marks are also ranked 25th and 42nd in the NCAA, respectively. Additionally, the Pirates have collected 183 steals to average 12.2 per game to lead the league and rank sixth in the nation. ECU has also forced their counterparts into 330 turnovers to average 22.0 per game for a turnover margin of +3.2 which is good for fourth in the league. The Pirates have also put up 81 blocks to average 5.4 per game which leads the league and ranks 16th in the nation.
Pouring In The Points
The Pirates have a pair of double-figure scorers in redshirt sophomore forward Jada Payne and redshirt junior guard Abria Trice. Payne leads the Pirates with 20.9 points per game, while Trice averages 16.9. Their averages rank third and seventh, respectively, in the conference. As a team, ECU owns a scoring offense of 75.3 to rank fourth in the league and 53rd in the nation, while the Pirates limit their opponents to 59.5 points per game for a scoring margin of +15.8, which rank second and third, respectively, in the conference and 42nd and 25th, respectively, in the nation.
Thanks For the Assistance
The Pirates have dished out 206 assists this season to average 13.7 per game which ranks fifth in Conference USA. Junior guard Janesha Ebron is the team-leader with 72 helpers on the year to average 4.8 per game which ranks her fifth in the conference. She also is second in C-USA with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.9.
Cleaning Up The Glass
The Pirates have accumulated 650 rebounds to average 43.3 per game to rank second in Conference USA. In holding their opponents to 35.4 rebounds per game, the Pirates own a rebounding margin of +7.9 which leads C-USA and is good for 31st in the nation. Redshirt sophomore forward Jada Payne is the Pirates' leader in rebounding as she averages 7.4 boards per game. Her average ranks her in the top 15 in the conference.
Pirates Plunder, Pillage, and Steal
Like their namesake, the Pirates are known for steals. ECU has grabbed 183 steals this season to average 12.2 per game which is tops in Conference USA and ranks sixth in the NCAA. The Pirates have forced their opponents into 22.0 turnovers per game and own a turnover margin of +3.2 which ranks fourth in the league and 52nd in the nation. Redshirt junior guard Abria Trice leads the Pirates with 28 steals.
Block Party
ECU has put up 81 blocks to average 5.4 per game which leads Conference USA statistics and is good for 16th in the nation. The Pirates have limited their opponents to 2.9 blocks per game on the year. Junior post Ondrea Shaw leads the team with 47 blocks for an average of 3.1 blocks per game which leads the conference and ranks her 10th in the NCAA. With 47 blocks, Shaw is tied for sixth in the ECU single-game record book.
ECU in C-USA
As a team, East Carolina ranks in the top five in 16 of 21 Conference USA statistical categories this season. ECU leads the league in eight categories. The Pirates lead the conference in field goal percent defense (34.6), rebounding offense (43.4), rebounding defense (35.1), rebounding margin (+8.2), blocked shots per game (5.4), steals per game (12.4), offensive rebounds per game (17.8), and offensive rebounding percentage (45.1).
Pirates in C-USA
Four Pirates have found themselves ranked in the top 20 in Conference USA individual statistics this year. Redshirt sophomore forward Jada Payne leads the league in three-point field goal percentage as she is shooting 46.5-percent from beyond the arc. She is also the league-leader in three-point field made per game with 2.4. Payne ranks third in the conference in scoring with 21.6 points per game, third in free throw percentage (89.0), ninth in offensive rebounds per game (3.0), 10th in field goal percentage (49.8), 12th in rebounds per game (7.5), and 14th in defensive rebounds per game (4.5). Redshirt junior post Ondrea Shaw is the league-leader in blocks per game with 3.1. She also ranks 12th in offensive rebounds per game (2.9), and 20th in rebounding (6.4). Junior guard Janesha Ebron is second in the league in assist to turnover ratio (1.9) and fifth in assists per game (4.6). Rounding out the Pirates who rank in C-USA statistics is reshirt junior guard Abria Trice who is ranked ninth in scoring (15.9), ninth in field goal percentage (50.0), and 10th in free throw percentage (83.6).
C-USA Freshman of the Week
On Monday, December 16, freshman guard J'Kyra Brown earned her first-ever Conference USA Freshman of the Week honor for her performance at the ULM Warhawk Classic. Brown helped the Pirates to a 1-1 record and an appearance in the Warhawk Classic championship game after averaging 10.5 points per game, 2.5 rebounds per game, 1.0 assists per game, 0.5 steals per game, and 0.5 blocks per game. She finished the weekend shooting 53.8-percent from the field, 57.1-percent from beyond the arc, and was 3-for-3 from the free throw line. Brown poured in 18 points in the Pirates' 85-42 victory over Alcorn State last Friday to secure ECU's place in the championship contest. She earned the honors along with Takia Brooks of Florida Atlantic and Tamara Jones of Southern Miss who took home Co-Player of the Week accolades. Brown is the first Pirate to collect the award this season.
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
? Senior post Ariana Jackson will be out for the season due to an injury.
Coming Up...
East Carolina returns to the friendly confines of Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum on Saturday, January 18, when the Pirates play host to Louisiana Tech at 5 p.m. The contest marks alumni day and letterwinners day as former ECU women's basketball players and coaches will be honored at halftime. Live stats, video and audio will be available on ECUPirates.com.
