Greenville, N.C. -- Three players recorded a double-double to lead East Carolina past Division II Belmont Abbey, 77-50, inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum Sunday in its home opener.

Senior Moussa Badiane led all scorers with a career-high 26 points to go along with 10 rebounds and six blocks. In addition to Badiane, junior Corey Rouse recorded his second consecutive double-double, scoring a career-high 15 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. Sophomore Mike Cook recorded his first career double-double as he finished with 11 points and 12 assists. Cook, who has scored in double figures in all five games this season, was one rebound shy of his first-career triple-double.

ECU (3-2) shot a season-high 53.2 percent (33-of-62) from the floor while holding the Crusaders to 26.7 percent (16-of-60). East Carolina out-scored Belmont-Abbey, 42-20 in the second half, behind a blistering 64.3 percent (18-28) from the floor, including 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from behind the arc. The Pirates doubled the Crusaders points in the paint by a margin of 40-to-20 and out-rebounded them 45-to-37.

Belmont-Abbey (1-1) was led by Rafael Moreira who came off the bench to record a double-double of his own with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Moreira kept the Crusaders close in the first half with 10 points and 10 boards at the break.

East Carolina will return to action Wednesday, December 1 when its entertains Toledo at 7 p.m. inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.

Head Coach Bill Herrion
"I think that we needed to get back to playing basketball the way that we have played here the last five years; the way people know how we play and that's on the defensive end of the floor. We didn't play well defensively at Gardner-Webb this past Tuesday. We came back and really tried to pay a lot of attention to the defensive end. I thought position wise, we were much better tonight."

"Moussa did a great job and almost had a triple-double. I just told the kids in the locker room after the game is that I think we have to establish a little bit more of an inside identity. The first half we did not run a good offense. I think we had a lot of guys just holding onto the basketball. I thought the second half was better. We started reversing the ball in our transition, started screening better, and the floor started opening up a little bit and we got a lot more offensive opportunities."

"I like the way Corey [Rouse] is playing. He is a junior class wise but he has never started a basketball game at East Carolina until this year and is really like a freshman or sophomore experience wise. I think we are getting a lot out of him. He keeps getting better every. He has had two consecutive double-doubles and is being very active on the glass but we have got to get more help."

"When Mike Cook has the ball in his hands a lot of good things happen with our basketball team. We've have been a little bit disappointed with the play of our point guards, but I thought Marvin Kilgore did a good job tonight. He didn't score but he had five assists and only one turnover. He did a good job and I think we are going to start using Mike Cook more at the point guard position a little bit more."

Postgame Notes