Spring Break
Men's basketball begins conference play
Hart Holloman
Issue date: 1/13/09 Section: Sports
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The Pirates entered the Tulane match-up carrying a four-game loosing streak and needing a win badly. Three of the four losses were to top ACC competition. The Pirates lost to Wake Forest and Clemson, both of whom are still undefeated, and were knocked off in Raleigh by N.C. State.
Senior guard Sam Hinnant pointed out the difference between last year's team and this year's.
"The four losses got us ready for this game," said Hinnant. "This is what really matters now that it's a conference game. We came together. Last year we would have broken apart and went our separate ways, but we came together in practice and worked hard. I'm just glad we won tonight."
ECU was dominated in most statistical categories but shot 81 percent from the charity stripe, making a total of 27 free throws compared to only 11 for the Green Wave. That included going 8-10 from the line in the final two minutes to seal the game.
Senior guard James Legan lead the Pirates with 15 points and Hinnant added 14. The game-high came from Tulane's Daniel Puckett, who put in 22 for the Green Wave. Senior Jamar Abrams hauled in 10 boards for the Pirates to lead the team, and sophomore point guard Brock Young turned in the game high with five assists, while also registering the only block for the Pirates.
"The key to the game was getting [Robinson] Louisme in foul trouble," said ECU coach Mack McCarthy. "We attacked the rim and challenged our guys to do that. I thought we also did a nice job of getting to the free throw line and we out-rebounded them, too. Part of that was with Louisme out of the ball game we were a little bit better matched up."
McCarthy was also encouraged by the team's defensive effort.
"I thought we did enough things defensively that allowed us to win," McCarthy said. "We still have a long way to go. Tulane got to the rim too many times, in the first half especially. When we stopped turning the ball over and we were playing five-on-five in the half-court, they went pretty deep in the shot clock a lot of times."
The Pirates then traveled to Marshall to take on the Thundering Herd. The Pirates were looking to avenge their 34-point loss to The Herd last season in Huntington, and nearly came back to win.
The two teams were tied at 33 at halftime and the Pirates initially held the upper hand in the second half after they jumped out to an early eight-point lead. The Herd answered with an 11-2 run to regain the lead. The Pirates endured and built up a five-point lead with less than 10 minutes to go. However, they would relinquish it again to the Herd on a Tyler Wilkerson jumper and never regain it.
The Pirates clawed back to within three with 56 seconds to play, but Marshall went 5-6 from the line during the last 32 seconds to secure the win.
Legan again lead the Pirates on the score sheet with 16, with Hinnant adding 14 and Abrams putting in 13. The Pirates were out-rebounded 31-14 and turned the ball over 15 times en route to the eight-point loss.
Next, the Pirates will face UTEP at Minges Coliseum Saturday night at 7 p.m.
This writer can be contacted at sports@theeastcarolinian.com.
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