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Men's Basketball Looks To Start New Streak Sunday At Winthrop
 
ECU Hopes To End Three-Game Skid

 
Japhet McNeil
 
Japhet McNeil
 
 

Dec. 18, 2005

East Carolina will look to snap a three-game losing streak Sunday afternoon as its plays its first of two consecutive road games beginning at Winthrop. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Winthrop Coliseum in Rock Hill, S.C.

The Pirate Sports Network will begin coverage of the game with the pregame show beginning at 2:30 p.m. across the 18-station network and over the world wide web at ecupirates.com. Jeff Charles and Si Seymour will call the action.

Both teams enter the game on the heels of consecutive losses. Winthrop began the season 4-0 before suffering consecutive losses on the road to a pair of Southeastern Conference opponents (Alabama and South Carolina).

The Eagles are undefeated at home this season with a record of 2-0, while East Carolina has a record of 1-1 on the road with a win over Wofford. The Pirates last played on Saturday, December 10 and have spent the past eight days taking final exams.

ECU suffered a disappointing loss to Western Carolina its last time out, 48-56. Taylor Gagnon, Sam Hinnant and Corey Rouse each scored 10 points, while Rouse grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season.

Craig Bradshaw was the lone player to score double figures for the Eagles in their 14-point setback against South Carolina Wednesday, netting 19 points. Bradshaw also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, including six offensive boards.

Sunday's game is the seventh overall meeting in the series with ECU holding a 4-2 advantage. Winthrop won last year's meeting in Greenville by 15 points, 70-55.

Ingram Eligible Sunday
East Carolina sophomore Jeremy Ingram will finally be able to don an ECU jersey for the first time on December 18 against Winthrop. The Kinston native transferred to ECU prior to the start of the 2005 spring semester from Wake Forest. Ingram has been practicing with the team since January, but has been unable to compete due to NCAA rules. Ingram played one and one-half seasons at Wake Forest, where he saw action in eight games and averaged 1.6 points in 7.4 minutes of action. Ingram's last appearance in a college game was January 31, 2004 against Virginia. He was a teammate of senior Corey Rouse at Kinston High School.

National Leaders
Senior Corey Rouse ranks ninth nationally in rebounds per game this season as does junior Japhet McNeil in assists per game. Rouse is averaging 11 rebounds per game this season through seven games, while McNeil is distributing an average of 6.6 helpers per game. Joe Martin of Alabama A&M leads the nation in rebounds per game this week with 13.3 boards per game, while Jose Juan Barea of Northeastern leads the country in assists per game, 9.3. McNeil also ranks 32nd in steals per game.

Toledo Game Time Changed
The Pirates game with Toledo on Dec. 21 has been changed from a 7 p.m. start to a 6 p.m. tipoff to avoid conflict with the UT football team's appearance in the GMAC Bowl which will be televised on ESPN at 8:00 p.m.

The Book On Winthrop

  • Winthrop enters the game with an overall record of 4-2. The Eagles began the season 4-0 before suffering back-to-back losses to Alabama and South Carolina.
  • Gregg Marshall is in his eighth year as Winthrop head coach. He has led the Eagles to five NCAA Tournaments.
  • The Eagles have a higher overall field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage than their opponents.
  • A trio of players are averaging double figures for Winthrop led by Craig Bradshaw. He leads the team with 13.8 points per game. He is also their leading rebounder with 5.7 rebounds per game.
  • Guard Chris Raynor has an assist-to-turnover ratio of better than 3:1.
  • Winthrop is on the plus side in scoring margin, rebounding margin and turnover margin this season.
  • Winthrop is 4-0 when scoring 70 or more points this season and 0-2 when scoring less than 70.
  • The Eagles ranked among the top 50 in the nation in scoring defense, scoring margin, free throw percentage and rebounding margin in the latest NCAA statistics released this past Tuesday.

    The Series History

  • East Carolina holds a 4-2 advantage in the alltime series.
  • The Pirates are 1-1 against the Eagles at the Winthrop Coliseum. ECU road victory on December 15, 1988 (75-67).
  • Sunday's game will be the Pirates' first visit to the Winthrop Coliseum since that day.
  • Winthrop won last year's meeting in Greenville, 70-55.
  • ECU coach Ricky Stokes has never faced Winthrop as a head coach. WU coach Gregg Marshall is 1-0 against the East Carolina.
  • The two teams are scheduled to play again in Greenville during the 2006-07 season.