East Carolina University
Temple
ECU Welcomes Temple For Sunday Noon Meeting
February 22, 2020 | Men's Basketball
| Game 28: Temple Owls | |
| Date: | Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020 |
| Time: | 12 p.m. EST |
| Location: | Greenville, N.C. (Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum) |
| Live Game Coverage: | TV: ESPNU | WatchESPN.com Radio: WTIB 103.7 FM | TuneIn Radio Online |
| Live Stats: | SideArm Sports |
| Game Notes: | ECU (PDF) | Temple (PDF) | The American (PDF) |
East Carolina will look to snap a three-game losing streak and pick up its first win over an opponent other than Tulane since early January on Sunday as the Pirates host the Temple Owls at noon inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.
 In their last contest, the Pirates fell behind 16 points to Memphis but rallied to tie the game on three occasions in the final minutes but were unable to take the lead, suffering a 77-73 loss. It was the Pirates third loss by four points or less in their last five games.
 "That's how close we are," ECU Head Coach Joe Dooley said. "We've got to finish some things better and do some things better. We're right in every game and have an opportunity to win. We've got to find a way to do it."
 Freshman Tristen Newton matched his career-high with 23 points and grabbed double digit rebounds for the first time, securing 13 rebounds for his first career double-double. Sophomore Jayden Gardner added 16 points and junior Bitumba Baruti scored double figures for the first time in his career, notching 14 points.
 The Owls, who are 14-12 overall and 6-7 in The American, are coming off a 93-89 double overtime victory against UConn on Thursday. Monty Scott scored a season-high 25 points and Nate Pierre-Louis added a career-best 23 points as well as a career-high 14 rebounds for his second straight double-double.
 Temple has been one of the top defensive teams in the country this season holding opponents to 39.7 percent shooting which ranks 34th nationally and fourth in The American.
 The Owls held ECU to 39.3 percent shooting their first meeting earlier this month. The Pirates led by two at halftime, but Temple seized control of the game with a 17-4 run and holding them scoreless for four minutes en route to a 76-64 victory. Sophomore Tremont Robinson-White led ECU with 21 points, while Gardner was held to 11.
 "I didn't think we guarded the ball really well and that was a big problem," Dooley said. "Those guys got downhill and made some plays which really hurt us."
 Temple is ranked second among American Athletic Conference teams with an average of 72.1 possessions per game. The up-tempo Owls have raised that total to 76.2 possessions per game over their last five games.
 Temple is a perfect 8-0 when it holds an opponent to 62 points or fewer, but 6-12 when opponents score more than 62.
 East Carolina has scored 64 or more points in five of their last six games.
 Gardner leads The American with 19.9 points per game and Temple senior Quinton Rose is second with 16.3 points per game. Rose is the conference's all-time leading scorer with 1,778 points.
 The Pirates have lost three straight to the Owls and trail the all-time series, 7-3, but are 2-2 at home against Temple.
