East Carolina Meets No. 22 Syracuse at Junkanoo Jam
November 26, 2014 | Women's Basketball
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GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina women's basketball team will face its first ranked opponent of the 2014-15 season when it meets No. 22 Syracuse in the first round of the 2014 Junkanoo Jam in Freeport, Bahamas on Thanksgiving Day. Opening tip is set for 2 p.m.
The game will be broadcast by WZMB 91.3 FM in Greenville, N.C., where Josh Graham will have play-by-play coverage, while a free live video stream will also be available at JunkanooJam.com.
The meeting will be the first between the two programs all-time and ECU's first against a top-25 team since its matchup against No. 23/25 Middle Tennessee last season. The Pirates' last win against a ranked team was an 89-82 upset of No. 24 NC State on Dec. 9, 2007.
Syracuse (3-0) is averaging 75.3 points per game on the year while defeating Fordham, Jacksonville and Duquesne by an average of 12.7 points. The Orange has four players averaging double-figure points and is led by point guard Alexis Peterson's 14.7 points per game.
BAHAMAS ROUND II
ECU is 2-0 all-time in games played in The Bahamas and is making its second trip to the islands in program history. The last trip came during the 2008-09 campaign where East Carolina defeated Mercer and Florida Atlantic to claim the Bahamas Sunshine Shootout crown in Nassau.
PICKING POCKETS
The Pirates entered the week beginning Monday, Nov. 24 ranked sixth among NCAA Division I teams in steals, averaging 17.4 per game. They totaled 21 steals in the season-opening win over Fairfield, and have recorded 18 in each of the last two games - both victories over Delaware and Bethune-Cookman.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE BUBBLE
Preseason All-American Athletic Conference selection Jada Payne has posted a double-digit points and rebounds in three of East Carolina's first five games this season. Her three double-doubles are currently tied for second in NCAA Division I with another American Athletic Conference player: USF's Alisia Jenkins.
BLOCKBUSTER
Senior post player Ondrea Shaw tied her career-high with seven blocked shots in the 66-38 blowout of Rhode Island on Nov. 15. She also posted seven blocks at Bethune Cookman on Dec. 29, 2013. Shaw established herself among the nation's top shot-blockers at 3.26 per game, in 2013-14, which ranked ninth. Her 116 rejections are 33 behind Monique Pompili (1984-88) for second place and just 96 behind Marcia Girven's (1977-81) school record of 212.
ALL OVER THE 0FFENSIVE GLASS
The Pirates have been relentless grabbing offensive rebounds, as they have pulled down at least 20 or more in four of their first four games this season. Overall, ECU has outrebounded and outscored opponents on second chance baskets in every contest thus far.
COUNTDOWN TO 200
Head coach Heather Macy, in her 10th season as a head coach and fifth at ECU, entered the season with 187-career wins and is now just eight victories away from 200 for her career.
