Gameday: Pirates Open Conference Play At SMU

Game 13: at SMU Mustangs
Date:	Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019
Time:	8 p.m. (ET) / 7 p.m. (CT)
Location:	Dallas, Texas (Moody Coliseum)
Live Game Coverage:	Radio: WNCT 107.9 FM \| TuneIn Radio Online Video Stream: ESPN3
Internet Options:	Live Stats
Game Notes:	ECU \| SMU \| The American

GREENVILLE, N.C. --- ECU lifts the lid on American Athletic Conference play Wednesday, Jan. 2, against SMU at Moody Coliseum in Dallas. The game is schedule for an 8 p.m. EST tip and will be streamed live on ESPN3.

The Pirates wrapped up the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 77-57 win over North Carolina A&T inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum Friday night. Freshman Jayden Gardner led the Pirates with 27 points and 13 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season, while Shawn Williams made six 3-pointers and finished with 18 points.

Gardner has led the Pirates in scoring in nine of the last 10 games and ranks second in The American in scoring (19.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.8 rpg).

"He played a terrific game," ECU Head Coach Joe Dooley said. "I still don't think he's where he is going to get. He's going to see more things and the game will slow down a little bit more for him as he plays more minutes. The big thing for us is to make sure we find more ways to get him involved."

Gardner has dropped in 20 or more points half of the games he's played and is the only Pirate to start all 12 games this season.

Williams has started every game he's played and after missing the first five to start the season, he has begun to find the stroke that helped him earn The American Rookie-of-the-Year Award. He's made 10-of-21 outside the 3-point arc the last two games.

Gardner and Williams (14.3 ppg) ranks one and two on the team in scoring followed by Dallas native Seth LeDay (13.1 ppg), who has scored double figures in five straight games and 10 overall this season. He ranks among the Top 10 in the conference in rebounding (7.2 rpg) and field goal percentage (.566).

Senior Isaac Fleming is coming off his first double-digit scoring performance in 10 games, finishing with 13 points against North Carolina A&T to go along with seven assists, seven rebounds and four steals. He only had one turnover in 34 minutes of action.

Wednesday night's game will be the first for SMU since posting an 81-53 win over Cornell on Dec. 22, its sixth win in its last seven games following a 2-3 start.

Senior Jahmal McMurray leads the Mustangs with 18.3 ppg, fourth-most in The American. He leads the conference with 3.6 made 3s per game and is shooting 42.2 percent (43-of-102) outside the arc.

McMurray is one of four players averaging double digit points for SMU, which ranks fourth in the league in scoring and first in 3-point field goals made per game (8.8)

"They have a lot of versatile and interchangeable pieces," Dooley said. "They're all lanky and athletic multiple position players."

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Players Mentioned

Isaac Fleming

Jayden Gardner

Seth LeDay

Shawn Williams

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