ECU Entertains In-State Foe Gardner-Webb

Game 9: East Carolina vs. Gardner-Webb
Date \| Time	December 4, 2021 \| 3:00 p.m. ET
Location	Greenville, N.C. (Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum)
Game Program	Hoops Digest #1
Live Game Coverage	Stream: ESPN+ Radio: 107.9 WNCT \| TuneIn Radio Online
Live Stats	Statbroadcast
Statistics	East Carolina \| Gardner-Webb
Game Notes	East Carolina \| Gardner-Webb \| The American
Record Book	East Carolina 2021-22 Record Book
Social Media	Facebook \| Twitter \| Instagram \| YouTube \| #OnePirateNation

GREENVILLE, N.C. – After picking up six wins in November, East Carolina looks to extend its home winning streak to six when it hosts Gardner-Webb Saturday afternoon inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.

The Pirates held tight defensively in the final seconds Tuesday night for a 63-62 victory over Old Dominion that put ECU at 5-0 in Greenville in 2021-22. East Carolina also secured the season sweep of the Monarchs after downing them 73-60 back on Nov. 19 in Conway, S.C.

Vance Jackson lit up the scoreboard, knocking down six three-point field goals to end his evening with a season-high 21 points. Brandon Suggs also put in a solid effort, netting 14 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Tristen Newton secured his 11th-straight game with double-digit points, scoring 13 and dishing out a career-best matching eight assists.

Both teams connected on 22 field goals as the Monarchs ended up shooting 42.3 percent as compared to the Pirates' 39.3-percent output. Old Dominion also won the rebounding battle by a 37-31 margin and out-scored ECU 34-12 in the paint. The Pirates' 12 offensive rebounds led to a 12-7 advantage in second-chance points. East Carolina hit 15 three pointers in the contest, marking the most in a single game since it collected 16 against South Carolina State back on Dec. 22, 2015 in a 98-71 victory.

ECU is 3-2 against Gardner-Webb in the all-time series. Saturday's meeting marks the first between the programs since a 62-60 Pirate victory Dec. 18, 2012 in Greenville. The Runnin' Bulldogs are coached by former East Carolina assistant Tim Craft who was with the program from 2010-13.

Entering games of Dec. 2, the Pirates are ranked 22nd nationally in three-point field goal percentage (.398), 25th in total assists (130) and 44th in assists per game (16.2). All three marks pace the American Athletic Conference. ECU has a couple of players slotted among the national statistical leaders as well with Tristen Newton sitting 23rd in total points (152), 32nd in total assists (39) and 36th in total field goals made (53) while Tremont Robinson-White is 18th in total steals (18) and Brandon Johnson is 27th in total rebounds (70).

The Competition
Gardner-Webb (4-3) rides to Greenville on a four-game winning streak that followed three-straight losses to begin the season. The Runnin' Bulldogs routed North Carolina Central by an 83-58 margin at home in their last contest as D'Maurian Williams paced both teams with 16 points and dished out a career-high five assists. Gardner-Webb posted season highs in assists (22) and blocks (10) while out-rebounding the Eagles by seven, 43-36, and shooting 63 percent in the first half. The Runnin' Bulldogs tested themselves early on, falling at nationally-ranked Arkansas (86-69) and Duke (92-52) in the first three games of the campaign. Now in his ninth season, Gardner-Webb is coached by former East Carolina assistant Tim Craft who was a part of the Pirate program from 2010-13.

The Gardner-Webb Series
ECU is 3-2 against Gardner-Webb in the all-time series. Saturday's meeting marks the first between the programs since a 62-60 Pirate victory Dec. 18, 2012 in Greenville.

Old Dominion Leftovers
East Carolina went back to its season-opening starting lineup (Newton, Suggs, Miles, Jackson and Debaut), a group that is 5-2 this season when starting together ... The Pirates' six wins in November are the most since the 2013-14 went 6-1 on the way to a 17-17 overall record and an appearance in the CIT ... The 15 three-point field goals converted mark the most of the Dooley era ... ECU shot 55.6 percent from beyond the arc for the second time this season as both occurrences were in wins over Old Dominion ... East Carolina made just 4 free throws, marking the first time since Dec. 16, 2020 at SMU that the Pirates converted five or less ... ECU has won 16 of its last 18 non-conference games ... Tristen Newton has scored in double figures in 11-straight contests ... The Pirates' five-game home winning streak is one short of last season's six-game unbeaten run (Dec. 1-22).

Against The Big South Conference
The Pirates are 118-74 against current members of The Big South Conference. East Carolina faces another league school in its next contest when North Carolina A&T visits Minges Coliseum Dec. 7.

On This Date
ECU is 9-11 in games played on Dec. 3. Most recently, the Pirates dropped an 85-75 decision to Coppin State at home back in 2019.

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Players Mentioned

Vance Jackson

Brandon Johnson

Tristen Newton

Tremont Robinson-White

Brandon Suggs

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