Friday, March 13
Birmingham, AL
9:00 p.m. ET
East Carolina University
vs
UTSA
Pirates to Face Six Seed UTSA in American Conference Semifinal Friday
March 12, 2026 | Women's Basketball
| Â Game 32 - American Conference Semifinal: #2 East Carolina (22-9, 14-4 American) vs. #6 UTSA (16-15, 9-9 American)Â | |
| Â Date | Â Saturday, March 7 |
| Â Time | Â 9:00 p.m. (ET) |
|  Location |  Birmingham, Ala. (Legacy Arena at the BJCC) |
|  Media  Coverage |
 Live Stats: StatBroadcast  Streaming: ESPN+ |
|  Game Notes |  East Carolina |
|  Social  Media |
 Twitter: @ECUWBB  Instagram: @ECUWBB |
GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina women's basketball team has drawn the sixth-seeded UTSA Roadrunners for their American Conference semifinal matchup on Friday night in Legacy Arena. The game is set for 9 p.m. ET (following the conclusion of semifinal number one) and will be available for streaming on ESPN+ with Sam Gore, Brooke Weisbrod and Maria Trivelpiece on the call.
Â
Last Time Out
The Pirates closed the regular season with a road win over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Saturday, 76-61. The team was led by Kennedy Fauntleroy's 17 points and eight assists in what turned out to be a decisive victory. Keanna Rembert added 14 points and seven rebounds while Taylor Barner (13) and Anzhané Hutton (10) also scored in double figures.
Â
Scouting UTSA
The Roadrunners downed South Florida in the quarterfinal round to reach Friday night. Cheyenne Rowe led the team with 25 points and 11 rebounds in the game while Ereauna Hardaway added a dozen points of her own. On the season, Rowe leads the charge with 14.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game with Hardaway registering just over 11 points per game as well. As a team, the Roadrunners are a good defensive and rebounding bunch, ranking top 65 in the NCAA in both total rebounds per game and scoring defense, grabbing nearly 40 boards per game and holding their opponents under 60 points.
Series History
The Pirates and Roadrunners have met six times dating back to 2014, including a 65-58 win for ECU in San Antonio back on Jan. 20. Keanna Rembert paced the Pirates with 21 points in the game while Savannah Brooks (14) and Jayla Hearp (10) both scored in double figures as well. Of note, neither Cheyenne Rowe nor Idara Udoh—UTSA's starting frontcourt on Thursday—played in that contest. Damara Allen and Mia Hammonds both scored a dozen for UTSA in the loss. Of note for the Pirates, Kennedy Fauntleroy only played 24 minutes in that game before fouling out with only two points scored.
Â
ECU versus...
ECU is 128-152 all time in games against current members of the American Conference. ECU is 47-61 all time against schools from the state of Texas and 9-23 in the McNeill era.
Â
Tulsa Game Notables  Â
- ECU has made multiple three-point shots in 38 consecutive games dating back to Feb. 15, 2025 vs. Charlotte.
- ECU has made 179 three-point shots this season, sixth in program history.
- ECU made 17 free throws on a 70.8 percent clip. It is the team's 17th game with 15+ made foul shots this season.
- ECU now has four players—Fauntleroy, Hutton, Barner and Rembert—with 300+ points for just the second time in program history (1981-82). ECU has never had five players with 300+. Jayla Hearp is at 286 entering the conference tournament.
- ECU held Tulsa's leading scorers—Mady Cartwright and Hannah Riddick—to just 22 points on the game, the duo averages 30.4 points per game combined this season.
- ECU forced 20 turnovers (23) for the 20th time this season.
- ECU held Tulsa to 1-16 shooting from three. Tulsa did not make a three until there were 52 seconds remaining. The team averages 6.8 per game.
- ECU led for 31:39 of game time.
National Rankings
Through 31 games, the Pirates rank 15th in the NCAA in free throws made per game (15.65), 19th in turnovers forced per game (21.35), 21st in turnover margin (+6.10), 40th in steals per game (10.6). Individually, Kennedy Fauntleroy ranks 32nd in the nation in steals pergame with 2.71. Fauntleroy is also 38th nationally in assists per game with 4.9.
Postseason Honors
Kennedy Fauntleroy was named American Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. She also earned First Team All-Conference, All-Defense, and All-Newcomer (unanimous) honors.
Keanna Rembert earned Third Team All-Conference accolades.
Defensive Players of the Year
In the McNeill era, ECU has had a conference Defensive Player of the Year five times in seven seasons. In the previously 36 years in which the Pirates were members of the conference, the team had 0 Defensive Players of the Year.
Something More Than Free
The Pirates have made 485 free throws this season on a 73.4 percent clip. If it holds, that would be a program record percentage (72.0 in 2013-14). It is the fourth most total free throws made in a season in program history.
Â
Pick Your Poison
ECU now has four players—Fauntleroy, Hutton, Barner and Rembert—with 300+ points for just the second time in program history (1981-82). ECU has never had five players with 300+. Jayla Hearp is at 286 entering the conference tournament.
Six players have made 15+ threes so far-: Taylor Barner, Savannah Brooks, Kennedy Fauntleroy, Jayla Hearp and Keanna Rembert and Anzhané Hutton. That is a first in program history.
Â
Senior Class Â
The Pirates have now won a program record 81 games in the last four seasons. The class from 1977-81 is the only other in ECU history to win 80 games, meaning tha the class of Jayla Hearp and Bobbi Smith is now the winningest four-year class in program history.
Â
At the Helm Â
2025-26 is the Pirates' seventh under the tutelage of Kim McNeill. The program has a 109-101 record under her leadership.
Â
McNeill is the fourth coach in program history with multiple 20-win seasons (Cathy Andruzzi, Emily Manwaring, Heather Macy).
With the Tulsa win, Kim McNeill passed Catherine Bolton for the most career wins in program history with 109. Heather Macy (134) and Sharon Baldwin-Tener (126) hold the top two spots.
Â
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.
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball03/03/26 Inside Pirate Athletics
Tuesday, March 03
02/26/26 Inside Pirate Athletics 1
Thursday, February 26
02/17/26 Inside Pirate Athletics
Tuesday, February 17
02/12/26 Inside Pirate Athletics
Thursday, February 12
