Minges Madness: Pirates Clash with North Texas Under the Stars!

 
GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina makes its return to Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum on Tuesday evening as they continue their participation in the American Athletic Conference by hosting North Texas.

The matchup is scheduled to commence at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+, featuring Patrick Johnson (play-by-play) and Si Seymour (analyst), with Matison Little (sideline) reporting from the sidelines. Supporters can also listen to Daron Vaught call the game on 107.9 WNCT, 94.3 The Game, or through the IBX app.

Additionally, Tuesday evening marks ECU’s traditional ‘Paint It Black’ game, where fans are encouraged to don black attire in support of the Pirates.

Leading the Pirates in scoring is All-AAC Preseason First Team guard RJ Felton with an average of 17.5 points per game, while the senior contributes 7.1 rebounds per game. C.J. Walker provides secondary scoring with 17.2 ppg and tops the team in rebounding with 7.4 per game, whereas Jordan Riley averages 13.9 ppg and 5.8 rpg, completing ECU’s trio of double-figure scorers.

Last Time Out

C.J. Walker netted 23 points, but the Pirates’ attempt to upset No. 19 Memphis fell short as the Tigers emerged victorious 74-70 on Saturday afternoon at FedExForum. RJ Felton contributed 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Pirates, who were seeking their inaugural road win against an AP-ranked opponent in program history.

What To Watch For

Cam Hayes is just 13 points shy of attaining 1,000 career points. Hayes is achieving a career-high average of 9.8 points this season for the Pirates. RJ Felton is merely 11 points away from claiming eighth place in all-time career scoring at ECU.

Scouting the Mean Green

North Texas arrives on Tuesday riding a wave of success, having secured victories in five of their last six matches after defeating Rice at home, 81-59, on Wednesday evening. Atin Wright and Brenen Lorient spearhead the scoring for the Mean Green, averaging 13.1 and 11.7 points per game, respectively. UNT boasts one of the premier defenses in the nation, permitting only 58.6 points per game (1st in AAC, 6th in NCAA) and averaging 9.4 steals per game (2nd in AAC).

Series History

North Texas has a 4-1 advantage in the all-time series against East Carolina, having won both encounters last season as UNT joined the American Athletic Conference. The Pirates experienced a narrow defeat at home to the Mean Green, 59-60, followed by an 84-69 loss to North Texas on the road later that year.

On This Date

The Pirates hold an 8-11 record in games played on January 14, with their most recent match on this date occurring in the 2017-18 season, where they lost at home to Houston, 49-65.

Up Next

East Carolina will travel for their first of two away games as the Pirates head to Wichita State on Saturday, Jan. 18 for a 7:00 p.m. ET matchup on ESPN+.