Gameday: ECU Continues Savannah Invitational Play vs. FAMU

Game 5: East Carolina vs. Florida A&M
Date	Tuesday, November 22
Time	7 p.m. (ET)
Location	Greenville, N.C. (Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum)
Coverage	Live Stats \\\ Watch Live \\\ Listen Live
Game Notes	East Carolina \\\ Florida A&M
Social Media	Twitter: @ECUScoreboard \\\ @ECUPirateHoops

East Carolina men's basketball looks to continue its winning ways at home Tuesday when it host Florida A&M in its second game of the Savannah Invitational, before heading to Georgia for bracket play this weekend.

The Pirates have won 15 straight non-conference home games dating back to 2014 and are hoping for a history making 16th consecutive victory that would make coach Jeff Lebo the winningest coach in the program's Division I era (since 1965).

Lebo, now in his seventh season with the Pirates, is one of just three coaches to win more than 100 games at ECU and a victory over Florida A&M would move him past former coach Tom Quinn for the most wins since joining the upper echelon of the NCAA.

East Carolina had four players score double figures Sunday in its 23-point win over Stetson. Caleb Whiteled the Pirates with 22 points, while Andre Washington added 21 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. Clarence Williams (13) and Kentrell Barkley (11) also grabbed double digit boards en route to a 63-38 rebounding margin.

White (18.3), Tyson (12.8), Barkley (10.5) and Washington (10.5) are all averaging double figures scoring through four games.

Florida A&M is coming off an 87-62 loss to Air Force in Colorado Springs Sunday. The Rattlers won both of their home games against non-Division I opponents, but are 0-2 on the road versus Division I squads as they also lost to USF in their season opener, 84-73. Craig Bowman leads the Rattlers with 14.3 points per game.

The addition of 7-foot-1 center Andre Washington has allowed the Pirates the freedom to extend their perimeter defense, knowing Washington, 6-10 junior college transfer Jabari Craig or 6-10 redshirt freshman Deng Riak will be protecting the rim should an opponent get into the lane. Offensively, Washington and his fellow big men free up ECU’s attack by providing post threats that were sorely missing from last season’s injury-depleted squad.

NEWS AND NOTES

• East Carolina and Florida A&M are meeting in Greenville for the second time in three years, but just the third time overall. The Pirates won the previous meeting 75-57 behind 19 points from Caleb White, 14 from Michel Nzege and 11 from B.J. Tyson.
• ECU is looking to extend its non-conference home winning streak to 16 games. It's last non-conference home loss was Nov. 16, 2014 to UNC Asheville (79-83).
• Graduate transfer Andre Washington was named to The American Weekly Honor Roll on Monday after scoring 21 points and grabbing 16 rebounds Sunday against Stetson. He became the first Pirate since 2006 to have 20 points and 15 rebounds in the same game.
• Washington was one of three Pirates to grab double digit rebounds against the Hatters Sunday. Clarence Williams nabbed a career-high 13 boards and Kentrell Barkley pulled down 11. It was the first time since 2004 that a trio of ECU players turned that trick.
• The Pirates collected 63 rebounds Sunday, their most under coach Jeff Lebo and most since grabbing an ECU record 71 against USF during the 2002-03 season.
• Florida A&M is ECU's third HBCU opponent of the season. The Pirates defeated Grambling State to open the season and then took down N.C. A&T the following game. They will also host HBCU foes Hampton and N.C. Central upon their return from Georgia.
• ECU has held three of its first four opponents under 60 points, all at home. In eight halves of basketball this season, ECU has held its opponent to less than 30 points seven times.
• The Pirates have 24 blocks and 24 steals through the first four games. While they did have 20 steals after four games last season, they didn't record their 24th block until game 10.
• ECU has forced its opponents to shoot under 35 percent from the floor in six halves this season, including four halves under 30 percent. Stetson was 6-for-37 (.162) in the second half Sunday after shooting 8-of-32 (.250 in the first half. N.C. A&T shot just 25.9 percent in the first half and Charlotte made just 29.4 percent of its first half field goal attempts.
• After four games, East Carolina holds a +12.8 rebounding margin over its opponents. It has out-rebounded each opponent of its first four opponents with a high margin of 25 (63-38) against Stetson.
  
  

COURTESY Reflector.com

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