Pirates Aim to Expound Upon Conference Opening Victory, Host Memphis on Saturday

Saturday, January 3

Greenville, NC

2:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

Memphis

Pirates Aim to Expound Upon Conference Opening Victory, Host Memphis on Saturday

January 02, 2026 | Women's Basketball

Game 15: East Carolina (9-5, 1-0 American) vs. Memphis (6-8, 0-1 American)
Date	Saturday, January 3
Time	2:00 p.m. (ET)
Location	Greenville, N.C. (Minges Coliseum)
Tickets	Purchase Here
Media Coverage	Live Stats: StatBroadcast Streaming: ESPN+
Game Notes	East Carolina \| Memphis
Social Media	Twitter: @ECUWBB Instagram: @ECUW BB

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina women's basketball team will look to keep things rolling after an overtime victory to begin American Conference play as they welcome the Memphis Tigers to Minges Coliseum at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Tickets are still available for purchase and for those unable to attend, the game will be available for streaming on ESPN+.

Last Time Out
The Pirates won a thriller, 88-87, in overtime against the UAB Blazers on Tuesday night. ECU led by as many as 15 in the game and UAB led by as many as a dozen as the game swung wildly back and forth throughout. The teams traded baskets in the final minute of regulation before both missing their final chances to settle for overtime. In OT, the Blazers scored the first six points and looked sure for victory before three triples and a free throw in the final 80 seconds allowed the Pirates to claw back into the game. Thanks to three missed free throws in the final minute, including a split pair in the final seconds, ECU got the ball with the clock dwindling and down by two. Keanna Rembert, who was awesome in the game, banked in a three with 2.5 seconds left for the game winner to cap off a career day which saw the senior score 27 points and grab 11 rebounds.

Scouting Memphis
The Tigers enter the game with a 6-8 record following a league-play opening loss to Charlotte, 62-49, on New Years' Eve. On the season, Chaé Harris has paced the team in scoring with 14.2 points per game while Daejah Richmond and Tamya Smith both average double-figure points as well. Smith leads the group in rebounding with 5.2 per game. The Tigers enter the game atop the conference and 46th nationally in steals with over 11 per game and as a result, their 21.69 turnovers forced per game rank 36th in the NCAA and first in the league.

Series History
The Pirates and Tigers have met 46 times dating back to 2002 with a narrow edge for ECU, 26-22. Last time out, it was an ECU win in the American Conference Tournament by a 64-45 score in the opening round last season. Amiya Joyner led all scorers with a 22-point double-double, also grabbing 11 rebounds. Of returning players among both teams, Jayla Hearp had the most productive day with her 12 points and two steals.

ECU versus...
ECU is 77-107 all time in American Conference regular season play and 35-55 in the McNeill era. ECU is 115-148 all time in games against current members of the American Conference.

ECU is 35-40 all time against schools from the state of Tennessee and 10-6 in the McNeill era (0-1 vs. Middle Tennessee).

Team Scoring
Tuesday marks the first time the Pirates have had a string of three-straight 80-point games since Nov. 14-20, 2015.

National Rankings
Through 14 games, the Pirates rank 26th in free throws made per game (16.14) and 25th in the NCAA in turnover margin (+6.23). Individually, Kennedy Fauntleroy ranks 25th in the nation in steals with 36. ECU is second in the American Conference behind Memphis in steals and turnovers forced per game.

UAB Game Notables

Freshman forward Zaniah Zellous made her first career start.
ECU used their different third starting lineup of the season and third in as many games.
In regulation, ECU led by as many as 15 and UAB led by as many as 12.
In overtime, UAB scored the first six points with ECU not scoring until there was 1:18 to play.
Guards Savannah Brooks and Taylor Barner both made threes in the final 80 seconds to allow the team to get back into it.
UAB's Monae' Duffy missed three free throws in the final minute.
Senior forward Keanna Rembert made the game-winning shot with 2.5 seconds remaining to win the game.
It was the first game-winning basket with under five seconds remaining since Amiya Joyner scored with 2.1 seconds left to beat Hampton on Dec. 21, 2022.
Freshman guard Taylor Barner missed her final free throw of the game, breaking a streak of 33 consecutive makes.
ECU took 90 shots in the game, the most since 93 attempts against Saint Andrew's on Nov. 13, 2011.
ECU has scored 80-or-more points in three straight games for the first time since Nov. 14-20, 2015.
Five players scored in double figures for third time this season. ECU had three-or-more scorers in double figures for the eighth time.
Tuesday was the first time this season in which ECU has won while shooting a worse percentage than their opponent. They were previously 0-5.
ECU has made multiple three pointers in 21 consecutive games dating back to Feb. 15, 2025 vs. Charlotte.

At the Helm
2025-26 is the Pirates' seventh under the tutelage of Kim McNeill. The program has an 96-97 record under her leadership.

Reclaim
Each season the Pirates choose an important word, meaningful to the team, to put on the back of their practice jerseys. In 2025-26, the team chose the word "Reclaim", signifying the group's goals after a turbulent 2024-25 of returning to their roots as a defensive minded team, getting back to their standards as role models in the community and striving for excellence in the classroom.