East Carolina Hosts Top-Ranked UConn on Alumni Day
February 19, 2016 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 19, 2016
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina women's basketball team will host No. 1 Connecticut for its annual Alumni Day Game on Saturday, Feb. 20 at Williams Arena in Minges Coliseum. Opening tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m., and the game will be televised nationally by CBS Sports Network.
The Huskies will be the first men's or women's basketball team ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press (AP) Poll to play in Greenville since Old Dominion (women) took the court on Dec. 7, 1984 and earned a 92-74 win over ECU. The highest AP-ranked men's basketball team to play in Minges was No. 5 Memphis on Jan. 11, 2006.
Entering Saturday's contest, redshirt senior Jada Payne has scored 1,635 points in her third season wearing an ECU uniform and needs just 14 more to pass LaCoya Terry (2005-09) to take over the No. 3 spot on the Pirates' all-time scoring chart. Senior forward I'Tiana Taylor has 277 rebounds in 26 games this season and needs just seven more to match her 2014-15 total of 284 (in 32 games), which was the seventh-most in a single season in program history.
LAST TIME OUT
East Carolina (10-16, 4-10 AAC) was led by Taylor's conference-leading 14th double-double of the season and Payne eclipsed 1,900-career points in a 68-59 road victory at Houston on Wednesday night. The Cougars placed three scorers in double-digits, led by Tyler Gilbert's 11 points. Marche Amerson and Serithia Hawkins chipped in 10 points apiece. ECU shot 27-for-60 (.450) overall and 12-for-13 (.923) at the free throw line on the night, while Houston shot 20-for-60 (.333) from the field. The Pirates held a 34-22 scoring advantage in the paint and a 40-38 edge in rebounding, while the Cougars held a 20-0 margin in points off the bench.
ALL-TIME VERSUS UCONN
The Pirates trail the Huskies, 4-0, in the all-time series, with each of those meetings occurring in the last 14 months. The first four meetings were played in different venues (Minges Coliseum, XL Center, Mohegan Sun Arena and Gampel Pavilion).
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
In search of its fourth-consecutive national championship, Connecticut (25-0, 14-0 AAC) ranks first in the country in points per game (88.8), scoring defense (48.6) and field goal percentage (.531). UConn is led by senior forward Breanna Stewart's 19.6 points per game, 8.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.2 blocks, while senior point guard Moriah Jefferson averages 13.8 points, 5.4 assists and 2.8 steals per contest. Redshirt junior forward Morgan Tuck (13.4 points) and sophomore Gabby Williams (10.1 points) also average double-digit scoring.
WHEN THEY LAST MET…
On. Feb. 6, Kia Nurse led the Huskies with 20 points, as Stewart compiled a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds and Jefferson chipped in 16 points plus a game-high eight assists. Payne led the Pirates with 15 points on 7-for-10 shooting, while Taylor added 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks. UConn opened the game with a 14-0 scoring run and never looked back. The Pirates finished the day shooting 20-for-52 (.385) overall, 2-for-10 (.200) from three-point range and 4-for-6 (.667) at the free throw line, while UConn went 38-for-69 (.551) on the floor, 11-for-27 (.407) from beyond the arc and made all five of its foul shots. The Huskies outscored ECU, 44-18, in the paint, 39-8 off turnovers, 23-8 on second chances and 23-2 on the fast break.
PAYNE NAMED TO DAWN STALEY AWARD WATCH LIST
Jada Payne was one of just 16 players to be named to the 2016 Dawn Staley Award Mid-Season Watch List on Jan. 28. The award recognizes the nation's best guard in Women's Division I college basketball, exemplified by skills that Staley possessed: ball handling, scoring, ability to distribute and will to win.
PAYNE CLIMBING ALL-TIME SCORING CHART
In just two full seasons, Jada Payne scored the 17th-most points in ECU history and is on pace to become one of top three scorers the program has ever had in just three years' time. Payne surpassed 1,500 in just her third season at East Carolina on Jan. 17 at USF and has 1,907-career points. With 93 more during her senior campaign, an average of 19 per game the rest of this season, she will eclipse 2,000 for her career.
Player Points
1. Rosie Thompson (1975-80) 2,352
2. Mary Denkler (1979-83) 1,789
3. LaCoya Terry (2005-09) 1,648
4. Jada Payne (2013-pres.) 1,635
5. Jasmine Young (2005-09) 1,591
6. Debbie Freeman (1974-78) 1,570
7. Tonya Hargrove (1988-92) 1,532
8. Jennifer Jackson (2001-05) 1,490
9. Courtney Willis (2000-04) 1,374
10. Sylvia Bragg (1982-86) 1,366
TAYLOR'S TALE
I'Tiana Taylor has posted nine double-doubles in ECU's 14 conference games this season and has 13 total. In league play, Taylor is averaging 13.7 points and 12.1 rebounds while shooting 45 percent from the floor.
I.T.'s 20/15 VISION
I'Tiana Taylor has had a handful of monster performances this season, four of which resulted in her scoring at least 20 points and grabbing 15 or more rebounds in the same game:
Nov. 28 vs. Northwestern 27 points/17 rebounds
Jan. 20 vs. Cincinnati 24 points/19 rebounds
Jan. 14 vs. Houston 21 points/16 rebounds
Feb. 13 vs. Memphis 22 points/19 rebounds
DOUBLE-DOUBLE BUBBLE
East Carolina has had at least one player record a double-double in all but four games this season, which included a streak of 13-straight contests from Nov. 27 through Jan. 20 while two or more players have notched a double-double in the same game six times. The Pirates have compiled 27 double-doubles across 22 different games: I'Tiana Taylor (14); Jada Payne (11); Marina Laramie (2).
BACK-TO-BACK OVERTIMES
East Carolina played consecutive overtime games at SMU on Feb. 9 and at home against Memphis on Feb. 13, marking the first time that occurred since the Feb. 2006 when the Pirates played overtime contests in three-straight ballgames (Feb. 12, 17, & 19).
FEELS BRAND NEW
East Carolina graduated six players last season, but only three of its six returners have been able to see the court this season. Those three (Jada Payne, I'Tiana Taylor and DeVaughn Gray) were responsible for 33.9 of the Pirates' 66.6 points per game last season, and are currently producing 41.5 of the team's 67.8 points per contest this season.
PAYNE BRINGS THE RAIN
Jada Payne broke her own ECU single-season record for three-pointers made with 80 in 33 games in 2014-15. She initially set the record in 2013-14 with 70 makes from beyond the arc and is on pace to break the school record for conversions in just three years:
Player 3-Pt FGM
1. Allison Spivey (2007-11) 201
2. Jada Payne (2013-pres.) 178
Jasmine Young (2005-09) 178
4. Justine Allpress (1993-97) 166
5. Jennifer Jackson (2001-05) 159
AMERICAN CONFERENCE HONOR ROLL
Jada Payne has been named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll five times this season (Nov. 16, Nov. 23, Nov. 30, Jan. 4 and Jan. 11), while I'Tiana Taylor has been named four times (Dec. 7, Dec. 21, Jan. 18 and Jan. 25).
| Game 27: East Carolina vs. No. 1 UConn | |
| Date | Saturday, Feb. 20 |
| Time | 8 p.m. (ET) |
| Location | Greenville, N.C. (Minges Coliseum) |
| Game Notes | East Carolina  | UConn | American Conference |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| Coverage |  CBS Sports Network |  Radio: (WZMB 91.3 FM) | @ECUScoreboard |
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina women's basketball team will host No. 1 Connecticut for its annual Alumni Day Game on Saturday, Feb. 20 at Williams Arena in Minges Coliseum. Opening tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m., and the game will be televised nationally by CBS Sports Network.
The Huskies will be the first men's or women's basketball team ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press (AP) Poll to play in Greenville since Old Dominion (women) took the court on Dec. 7, 1984 and earned a 92-74 win over ECU. The highest AP-ranked men's basketball team to play in Minges was No. 5 Memphis on Jan. 11, 2006.
Entering Saturday's contest, redshirt senior Jada Payne has scored 1,635 points in her third season wearing an ECU uniform and needs just 14 more to pass LaCoya Terry (2005-09) to take over the No. 3 spot on the Pirates' all-time scoring chart. Senior forward I'Tiana Taylor has 277 rebounds in 26 games this season and needs just seven more to match her 2014-15 total of 284 (in 32 games), which was the seventh-most in a single season in program history.
LAST TIME OUT
East Carolina (10-16, 4-10 AAC) was led by Taylor's conference-leading 14th double-double of the season and Payne eclipsed 1,900-career points in a 68-59 road victory at Houston on Wednesday night. The Cougars placed three scorers in double-digits, led by Tyler Gilbert's 11 points. Marche Amerson and Serithia Hawkins chipped in 10 points apiece. ECU shot 27-for-60 (.450) overall and 12-for-13 (.923) at the free throw line on the night, while Houston shot 20-for-60 (.333) from the field. The Pirates held a 34-22 scoring advantage in the paint and a 40-38 edge in rebounding, while the Cougars held a 20-0 margin in points off the bench.
ALL-TIME VERSUS UCONN
The Pirates trail the Huskies, 4-0, in the all-time series, with each of those meetings occurring in the last 14 months. The first four meetings were played in different venues (Minges Coliseum, XL Center, Mohegan Sun Arena and Gampel Pavilion).
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
In search of its fourth-consecutive national championship, Connecticut (25-0, 14-0 AAC) ranks first in the country in points per game (88.8), scoring defense (48.6) and field goal percentage (.531). UConn is led by senior forward Breanna Stewart's 19.6 points per game, 8.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.2 blocks, while senior point guard Moriah Jefferson averages 13.8 points, 5.4 assists and 2.8 steals per contest. Redshirt junior forward Morgan Tuck (13.4 points) and sophomore Gabby Williams (10.1 points) also average double-digit scoring.
WHEN THEY LAST MET…
On. Feb. 6, Kia Nurse led the Huskies with 20 points, as Stewart compiled a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds and Jefferson chipped in 16 points plus a game-high eight assists. Payne led the Pirates with 15 points on 7-for-10 shooting, while Taylor added 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks. UConn opened the game with a 14-0 scoring run and never looked back. The Pirates finished the day shooting 20-for-52 (.385) overall, 2-for-10 (.200) from three-point range and 4-for-6 (.667) at the free throw line, while UConn went 38-for-69 (.551) on the floor, 11-for-27 (.407) from beyond the arc and made all five of its foul shots. The Huskies outscored ECU, 44-18, in the paint, 39-8 off turnovers, 23-8 on second chances and 23-2 on the fast break.
PAYNE NAMED TO DAWN STALEY AWARD WATCH LIST
Jada Payne was one of just 16 players to be named to the 2016 Dawn Staley Award Mid-Season Watch List on Jan. 28. The award recognizes the nation's best guard in Women's Division I college basketball, exemplified by skills that Staley possessed: ball handling, scoring, ability to distribute and will to win.
PAYNE CLIMBING ALL-TIME SCORING CHART
In just two full seasons, Jada Payne scored the 17th-most points in ECU history and is on pace to become one of top three scorers the program has ever had in just three years' time. Payne surpassed 1,500 in just her third season at East Carolina on Jan. 17 at USF and has 1,907-career points. With 93 more during her senior campaign, an average of 19 per game the rest of this season, she will eclipse 2,000 for her career.
Player Points
1. Rosie Thompson (1975-80) 2,352
2. Mary Denkler (1979-83) 1,789
3. LaCoya Terry (2005-09) 1,648
4. Jada Payne (2013-pres.) 1,635
5. Jasmine Young (2005-09) 1,591
6. Debbie Freeman (1974-78) 1,570
7. Tonya Hargrove (1988-92) 1,532
8. Jennifer Jackson (2001-05) 1,490
9. Courtney Willis (2000-04) 1,374
10. Sylvia Bragg (1982-86) 1,366
TAYLOR'S TALE
I'Tiana Taylor has posted nine double-doubles in ECU's 14 conference games this season and has 13 total. In league play, Taylor is averaging 13.7 points and 12.1 rebounds while shooting 45 percent from the floor.
I.T.'s 20/15 VISION
I'Tiana Taylor has had a handful of monster performances this season, four of which resulted in her scoring at least 20 points and grabbing 15 or more rebounds in the same game:
Nov. 28 vs. Northwestern 27 points/17 rebounds
Jan. 20 vs. Cincinnati 24 points/19 rebounds
Jan. 14 vs. Houston 21 points/16 rebounds
Feb. 13 vs. Memphis 22 points/19 rebounds
DOUBLE-DOUBLE BUBBLE
East Carolina has had at least one player record a double-double in all but four games this season, which included a streak of 13-straight contests from Nov. 27 through Jan. 20 while two or more players have notched a double-double in the same game six times. The Pirates have compiled 27 double-doubles across 22 different games: I'Tiana Taylor (14); Jada Payne (11); Marina Laramie (2).
BACK-TO-BACK OVERTIMES
East Carolina played consecutive overtime games at SMU on Feb. 9 and at home against Memphis on Feb. 13, marking the first time that occurred since the Feb. 2006 when the Pirates played overtime contests in three-straight ballgames (Feb. 12, 17, & 19).
FEELS BRAND NEW
East Carolina graduated six players last season, but only three of its six returners have been able to see the court this season. Those three (Jada Payne, I'Tiana Taylor and DeVaughn Gray) were responsible for 33.9 of the Pirates' 66.6 points per game last season, and are currently producing 41.5 of the team's 67.8 points per contest this season.
PAYNE BRINGS THE RAIN
Jada Payne broke her own ECU single-season record for three-pointers made with 80 in 33 games in 2014-15. She initially set the record in 2013-14 with 70 makes from beyond the arc and is on pace to break the school record for conversions in just three years:
Player 3-Pt FGM
1. Allison Spivey (2007-11) 201
2. Jada Payne (2013-pres.) 178
Jasmine Young (2005-09) 178
4. Justine Allpress (1993-97) 166
5. Jennifer Jackson (2001-05) 159
AMERICAN CONFERENCE HONOR ROLL
Jada Payne has been named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll five times this season (Nov. 16, Nov. 23, Nov. 30, Jan. 4 and Jan. 11), while I'Tiana Taylor has been named four times (Dec. 7, Dec. 21, Jan. 18 and Jan. 25).
Players Mentioned
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