ECU Returns Home Saturday To Face Memphis

Game 16: Memphis at East Carolina
Date \| Time	January 15, 2022 \| 4:00 p.m. ET
Location	Greenville, N.C. \| Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum
Game Program	Hoops Digest #3
Live Game Coverage	Stream: ESPN+ Radio: 107.9 WNCT \| TuneIn Radio Online
Live Stats	Statbroadcast
Statistics	East Carolina \| Memphis
Game Notes	East Carolina \| Memphis \| The American
Record Book	East Carolina 2021-22 Record Book
Social Media	Facebook \| Twitter \| Instagram \| YouTube \| #OnePirateNation

GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina attempts to bounce back from consecutive single-digit road losses when it hosts Memphis Saturday afternoon in an American Athletic Conference contest from Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN+.

ECU (10-5, 1-2 AAC) puts its nine-game home winning streak on the line and looks to produce its first 10-0 start inside the friendly confines since the 1955-56 season.

The Pirates reduced a 20-point halftime deficit down to five in the final minutes at Cincinnati Wednesday, but the Bearcats had enough down the stretch to record a 79-71 victory.

Vance Jackson exploded for a career and game-high 35 points on the strength of eight three-point field goals while Tristen Newton ended up with 11. Jackson fell just one rebound short of his fourth double-double of the season.

After a hot-shooting first half, Cincinnati cooled down after the break but still recorded a 48-percent showing by hitting 28 of 59 attempts. East Carolina finished the night at 41 percent (24 of 59). The Pirates ended up outrebounding the home team by one, 35-34. The Bearcats netted 20 points off 15 East Carolina turnovers and outscored the Pirates in the paint by a 32-24 margin.

Jackson has developed into the top three-point shooter in the American Conference by percentage, knocking down 44.1 (41 of 93) percent of his attempts from deep. He also ranks seventh in the league in rebounding average (6.1) and has moved up to 14th in scoring average (12.5).

Newton is also having a solid campaign, pacing ECU and sitting third in the AAC in scoring average (17.7). He is at the top of the league statistical list in a couple of additional categories, including second in assists per game (5.1), field goal percentage (.478) and free throw percentage (.880).

Collectively, East Carolina is fourth in the conference in scoring average (73.7) while leading the circuit in both three-point field goal percentage (.373) and assists per game (16.2).

The Competition
Memphis (9-6, 3-2 AAC) fell to UCF 74-64 in Orlando Wednesday. Tyler Harris led the Tigers with 15 points, hitting five three pointers. He also grabbed four rebounds and had three assists. Emoni Bates finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, and Landers Nolley II added 11 and six assists. Malcolm Dandridge ended the game with 10 points. The Tigers shot 39.7 percent in the game (25-63) and made eight of their 22 3-point tries (.364). UCF hit 11-of-28 from behind the arc (.393) and had 15 second-chance points off 11 offensive rebounds.

Memphis resides in the top 50 of the KenPom.com efficiency rankings both offensively (44th) and defensively (47th). The Tigers are second in the American Conference in scoring average, putting up 77.4 points per game.

The Memphis Series
Memphis leads the series with East Carolina by a 23-4 margin. The Pirates have dropped their last six against the Tigers, including an 80-53 decision in the last contest the teams played in Greenville Jan. 24, 2021.

Cincinnati Leftovers
The Pirates fell to 2-16 against Cincinnati ... ECU lost for the first time this season when making more three-point field goals than its opponent ... Vance Jackson tied Dooley era records in points (35), field goals made (13), field goals attempts (24) and three-point field goals made (8) ... Jackson is the first Pirate to score 35 points in a contest since Jayden Gardner did so at UCF back on Jan. 13, 2019 ... Freshman Javon Small recorded career highs in points (seven), assists (four) and minutes played (23:40) ... The eight-point margin of defeat was just the second time in eight games that East Carolina has played Cincinnati to within single digits on the road.

Up Next
East Carolina welcomes UCF to Greenville for an American Athletic Conference contest Tuesday (Jan. 18).

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jayden Gardner

Vance Jackson

Tristen Newton

Javon Small

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