Pirates Aim For 3-0 Start Versus Radford

Game Three: East Carolina vs. Radford
Date \| Time	Dec. 5, 2020 \| 2:00 p.m.
Location	Greenville, N.C. (Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum)
Game Program	Hoops Digest #1
Live Game Coverage	Radio: WNCT 107.9FM \| TuneIn Radio Online Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats	Sidearm Stats
Statistics	ECU \| Radford
Game Notes	ECU \| Radford
Social Media	Facebook \| Twitter \| Instagram \| YouTube \| #OnePirateNation

GREENVILLE, N.C. --- East Carolina will look to start the season 3-0 for the first time since the 2013-14 campaign on Saturday when it faces Radford inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum. The Pirates are coming off a 91-62 win over Division III N.C. Wesleyan on Tuesday night, while the Highlanders are still search of their first victory after falling on the road to James Madison on Sunday, 67-59.

Junior Jayden Gardner and sophomore Tristen Newton have both scored double figures in each of the first two games with Gardner tallying 45 total points, including 27 against N.C. Wesleyan, and Newton 26.

The Pirates used a 28-8 run in the first half to break open a close game and led by 14 at halftime. The surge continued early in the second half as they outscored the Battling Bishops 16-4 before the first media timeout and seized a 26-point lead less than five minutes after intermission.

Brandon Suggs (14), Newton (11) and Bitumba Baruti (10) all scored double figures for the Pirates.

Newton was the game's leading rebounder with seven. He tops the team with 14 total rebounds through the first two games, followed by Baruti and Suggs with 10 boards apiece. Gardner has been limited to just nine rebounds.

Of course, when your team is shooting over 50 percent from the field there aren't as many rebounds to be had. The Pirates have scored nearly 79 percent of their field goals inside the 3-point arc, which ranks as tops in the country through games of December 3.

Midway through the first half, freshman Noah Farrakhan sparked the Pirates' fire from 3 with his initial triple. ECU made 9 of its final 19 (.473) 3-point attempts on Tuesday night after making just 2 of its first 19 (.105) across the two games against Charlotte and N.C. Wesleyan. Baruti, Farrakhan and Suggs and freshman have each made multiple 3s.

The Pirates have twice as many assists (38) as they do turnovers (19) this season with junior guard Tremont Robinson-White dropping 14 dimes without a turnover in 46 minutes of action. ECU has been credited with an assist on 62 percent of its field goals.

Radford averages nearly as many turnovers per game (17.0 tpg) as the Pirates have committed all season. With the loss of all five starters, the Highlanders are a young and inexperienced squad. Redshirt junior Lewis Djonkam returns as the most experienced player with 12.7 minutes per game last year and behind him his Chyree Walker, who averaged 11.2 minutes per game.

Quinton Morton-Robertson and Fah'Mir Ali are each averaging over 11 points per game for the Highlanders, who are averaging just 58.3 points per game.

However, they are out-rebounding their opponents by 6.3 boards per game.

Saturday's game will be the 10^th all-time meeting in the series with ECU holding a slim 5-4 advantage. The last time they met, Radford ran away from Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum with a 73-66 victory in 2017.

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Players Mentioned

Bitumba Baruti

Noah Farrakhan

Jayden Gardner

Tristen Newton

Tremont Robinson-White

Brandon Suggs

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