View from Courtside
Monday, November 16, 2015

By Al Myatt

Al Myatt

Post-game Audio...

ECU SID Game Recap

Schedule & Scores on ECUPirates.com

Recruiting


Lebo reaches milestone

Michel Nzege works inside for the Pirates during their Monday night win over Charlotte. The junior forward led all scorers with 21 points. (Al Myatt photo)
 

Audio: Postgame pressers

ECU coach Jeff Lebo (right), Charlotte coach Mark Price (below left) and ECU players Caleb White and Michel Nzege spoke with reporters after the Pirates defeated the 49ers Monday night in Greenville (Recorded by Al Myatt): Select audio clip...
 

Next: Las Vegas Invitational

ECU at California

Friday, 11 pm | TV: Pac-12 Network

 

FOOTBALL

'Desperation Bowl 2015'

During the preseason many thought this week’s East Carolina-Central Florida game would help decide the East Division of the American Athletic Conference. My how the mighty have fallen. ... More from Brian Bailey...

 

Audio: Ruff Presser

ECU coach Ruffin McNeill met with reporters on Monday at his weekly press conference (audio courtesy of Pirate Radio 1250; file photo): Select audio clip...

View Pirate Radio 1250 Programming Lineup

 

Audio: Brian Bailey Show

The Brian Bailey Show airs on Pirate Radio 1250 on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. Brian's guests this week were Heather Macy (left), Ruffin McNeill (right) and Ayden-Grifton football coach Paul Cornwell: Replay show...

View Pirate Radio 1250 Programming Lineup

 
 

FOOTBALL RECRUITING

ECU fortifies front lines

East Carolina's recruiting class of 2016 has expanded to 15 with verbal commitments from Mooresville High School DT Jamil Dukes (left) and Wake Forest Heritage High School OT Jack Doyle (right). ... Thumbnail sketches...

Thumbnails: ECU's recruiting class of 2016...

 

BASKETBALL

White, Barkley fuel Pirates in opener

GREENVILLE — East Carolina won its season opening basketball game over Grambling State 61-53 on Friday night at Williams Arena in Minges Coliseum as Caleb White scored 21 points. The outcome provided Pirates coach Jeff Lebo with his 299th career victory. ... More from Al Myatt...

 

BASKETBALL

Pirates sail into uncharted waters

Al MyattEast Carolina will be entering the realm of the unknown in several areas as it hosts Grambling State in its basketball opener on Friday at 8 p.m. "We don't have any film on Grambling or anything," said sixth-year Pirates coach Jeff Lebo. ... More from Al Myatt...

 

FOOTBALL

Season taking its toll

One of my media partners took time out to ask East Carolina coach Ruffin McNeill if he was okay after McNeill met with the media late Saturday night following the Pirates' 22-17 home loss to South Florida. He beat me to the question. ... More from Brian Bailey...
MULTIMEDIA
Audio: The Brian Bailey Show

The Brian Bailey Show airs on Pirate Radio 1250 on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. Brian's guests this week were high school coaches Scott Gardner (Farmville Central), Nate Conner (D.H. Conley) and Jim Bob Bryant (Havelock): Replay show...

 

Rainy Days and Mondays

17

22

Lyrics from an old Carpenters song may summarize how many East Carolina fans feel this morning after a soaking 22-17 Saturday loss to South Florida that found the Pirates stuck in offensive slump. ... Details and data from Greg Vacek...

 
 
 
 

By Al Myatt
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GREENVILLE — East Carolina showed some of the skills Jeff Lebo possessed as a player at North Carolina in handing the sixth-year Pirates coach his 300th career win on Monday night in Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.

ECU outscored Charlotte 88-74 with some Lebo-like shooting – 56.6 percent overall from the field and even better behind the arc, 63.6 percent.

The Pirates were busy on the boards and at the free throw line, too.

ECU held a 39-26 rebounding advantage and made 21 of 28 foul shots.

The Pirates are 2-0 and the leading scorer from last year's team, B.J. Tyson, has one field goal in two games.

"We have a team with a lot of talent so if somebody is not having really a great performance, somebody else can step up to the plate," said ECU's Michel Nzege, who had a team-high 21 points.

Clarence Williams didn't just step up, he leaped up. The junior college transfer supplied nine points and a team-high 11 rebounds.

Caleb White played with customary efficiency, 20 points on six of seven shooting with five rebounds and five assists.

Prince Williams made six of seven shots and had 15 points.

Lebo noted that point guards Prince Williams and Lance Tejada combined to play 40 minutes without a turnover.

Prince Williams had no choice but to pull the trigger on a 3-pointer with the shot clock about to run out with 2:29 to go. The ball dropped through for an 84-69 ECU lead.

It was that kind of a night for the Pirates, a far cry from the 31.1 percent field goal shooting that accompanied the 61-53 season-opening win over Grambling.

Story continues after the following picture...

ECU's Prince Williams looks to create on the offensive end against Charlotte. The senior guard scored 15 points. (Al Myatt photo)

Lebo didn't push the panic button after the first game.

"You try not to address shooting," said the ECU coach. "If you have to address shooting, then you've got a problem. I just try to give them confidence that they've shot and they've shot. Maybe get them in the gym a little bit more. When I was a shooter, you have to see it go down a little bit.

"We saw it go down tonight. That really helps from a mental standpoint.

"We didn't really talk about it. We talked about it from the standpoint of, hey, we won this game against Grambling. We shot 30 percent. We're a much better shooting team than that. The next game we'll make 'em."

Story continues after the following picture...

ECU junior guard Caleb White followed up his 21-point Friday night outing against Grambling with 20 points in the Pirates' Monday night win over Charlotte. (Al Myatt photo)

While Lebo credited assistant coaches and players for their roles in his 300 wins, which includes previous stops at Tennessee Tech, Chattanooga and Auburn, his sideline counterpart, former Georgia Tech and Cleveland Cavaliers star Mark Price, is still looking for his first victory with the 49ers.

"We knew this would be a tough place to play," Price said. "East Carolina hit shots and kept us at bay."

Price was hoping Charlotte (0-2) could hang around and make a late run.

A 14-2 Pirates flurry from a deadlock at 51 spoiled that notion.

Lebo had the upper hand in two matchups from their playing days, too, including a contest at the Omni in Lebo's freshman season with the Tar Heels.

UNC was ranked No. 1 and the Yellow Jackets were No. 2.

Price stole an inbounds pass by Lebo in the closing seconds with the Heels holding a two-point lead.

Price, one of the best free throw shooters in NBA history, missed one of two and Carolina held on to win.

"I was probably the happiest guy in the building," Lebo said.

The ECU coach may have been more relieved than happy as his team found the range against its former Conference USA foe.

The Pirate crowd of 4,276 left with a bit of a swagger after ECU pulled away.

The next challenge is to improve road performance and that starts with a game at California, ranked No. 14 in the coaches poll, on Friday night at 11, Eastern time.

11/17/2015 08:08 PM
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