Bonesville: The Authoritative Independent Voice of East Carolina

News & Features from ECU, the AAC and Beyond

  • Home
  • News & Features
  • Recruiting
  • Photos
  • Audio
  • Roundup
  • Comments
  • Legacy Archives

ECU Postseason Scoreboard

• ECU 2023 Football Schedule
• ECU 2022-23 Hoops Schedule
• ECU 2023 Baseball Schedule

— Recruiting Thumbnails —
Football: 2023 • Hoops: 2023-24

The Bradsher Beat
Pirates red hot on wintry night

January 18, 2018 By Bethany Bradsher Leave a Comment

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

GREENVILLE — When East Carolina guard John Whitley hit a floater for his first points of the season with 40 seconds left in Wednesday’s win over South Florida, the Pirate bench and Minges Coliseum faithful discovered a windfall of something that has been in short supply lately – joy.

The home team’s 90-52 victory was truly a salve, both for the team coming off two difficult home losses and the 2,857 fans who hoped they might see something that rendered a trip out in a snowstorm worthwhile.

Less than two minutes in, Kentrell Barkley grabbed his first of seven steals, followed by a dunk, and it was clear that leaving the house had been the right decision.

The win was as historic as it was entertaining. It was the Pirates’ largest margin of victory since November 20, 2014, when they felled Virginia-Lynchburg by 41.

ECU hasn’t defeated a conference opponent that resoundingly since a 42-point win over VMI in 1970.

The Pirates’ 61.4 percent field goal percentage is the highest this season by nearly 10 percentage points. Barkley’s 7 steals tied the school record. Shawn William’s 22 points notched a career high.

Even though his stat line was one for the scrapbook – 18 points, 10 rebounds, 7 steals and 7 assists – Barkley was quick to credit the synchronicity of the team with Wednesday’s happy result.

ECU interim coach Michael Perry agreed, calling the team effort “a beautiful thing to see.”

“We went into the game tonight with the thinking and the process being that we wanted to pass up a good shot to create a better shot, a great shot for somebody else,” Perry said. “And when I saw that stat sheet and I saw the assist number as opposed to the total field goals, it was impressive — I think 22 assists on 35 field goals, and that’s an impressive number. As a coach you don’t get a chance to see games like this that often, but you really enjoy them.”

For all of Barkley’s offensive theatrics, Perry was the proudest of his intensity on defense. He was assigned to cover Bulls graduate transfer Payton Banks, who scored 22 points in USF’s last game against Cincinnati.

Hounded by Barkley, Banks was 0-for-6 from the field. That kind of defensive tenacity is one of the tools the Pirates hope to bring to the remainder of the season, which starts with a Saturday road game against No. 12 Cincinnati.

“He actually stepped up to the challenge of this kid,” Perry said “And you know, I’ve been with Kentrell a long time. I’ve seen him in AAU, I helped recruit him and I’ve obviously coached him for three years. I’ve never seen him step up to a defensive challenge like that. He was dialed in completely all night.”

For Williams, who came off the bench to lead all Pirate scorers and rained in 11 of his 22 points from three-point range, the win was a reminder that basketball actually works better when everyone plays in harmony, and it was an environment that brought out his best.

“I’m just feeling comfortable out there, knocking my shots down,” he said.

Even if the final score might not have indicated it, Perry said the team moved further down the road toward the team they want to be through both the Wichita State and Houston defeats, and those lessons were on display against the Bulls.

Barkley stopped short of calling Wednesday a perfect game, emphasizing the team’s need for improvement, but the night provided a glimpse of what can continue to happen if the team focuses on the right things, he said.

“The objective is to play as a team,” Barkley said. “If we can go out and do the same thing we did tonight — taking good shots, eliminating bad shots and taking care of the ball — I think we’ll have a pretty good chance of winning the game.

“I feel like we’re unstoppable if we play team basketball.”

VIEW ECU’S 2017-18 BASKETBALL SCHEDULE & SCORES

Related

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

Filed Under: News & Features

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent News & Features

VIEW FROM THE EAST
Pirates prep for regional

Baseball News
Pirates headed to UVa

Baseball News
Tulane tops Pirates in American final

Baseball News
Saturday sweep puts ECU in Sunday AAC final

Baseball News
13 proves lucky for ECU

VIEW FROM THE EAST
Schwartz scores in transition

Baseball News
Pirates oust Cincinnati

Baseball News
Bulls upset ECU in AAC Tournament

Baseball News
Pirates arrrgh American champions again

Baseball News
ECU comeback clinches series

More News & Features

ECU Schedules

  • ECU 2021 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2020-21 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2021 Baseball Schedule

ECU Recruiting

  • Football Recruiting Class of 2021
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2020
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2019
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2018
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2017
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2021-22
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2020-21
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2019-20
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2018-19
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2017-18
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2016-17

Past Football Schedules

  • ECU 2020 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2019 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2018 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2017 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2016 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2015 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2014 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2013 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2012 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2011 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2010 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2009 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2008 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2007 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2006 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2005 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2004 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2003 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2002 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2001 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2000 Football Schedule
  • Historical Schedules

Past Basketball Schedules

  • ECU 2019-20 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2018-19 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2017-18 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2016-17 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2000-2015 Basketball Archives

Past Baseball Schedules

  • ECU 2020 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2019 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2018 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2017 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2016 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2015 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2001-2014 Baseball Archives

Recruiting Class Profiles

ECU Recruiting News
ECU snatches late addition from Hoosiers

ECU Recruiting News
Class of 2024 starts with prized receiver

ECU Recruiting News
Late pitch lures lineman with pedigree

Recruiting Evaluation Part 2: Defense
Report card: Quality talent fills big holes

Recruiting Evaluation Part 1: Offense
Report card: Pirates reload at skill spots

ECU Recruiting News
Towering lineman Neolian still honing skills (updated)

ECU Recruiting News
More help is on the way to ECU secondary

ECU Recruiting News
Portal delivers blue chipper RaRa Dillworth

Class of 2023 Early Signing Review (UPDATED)
Pirates tap transfer portal for more talent

AAC Early Signing Review
New members dive into AAC recruiting wars

Class of 2023 Early Signing Review
First wave of recruits just the beginning

ECU Recruiting News
Brown finds way to ECU through portal

ECU Recruiting News
Transfer safety McDaniel destined for ECU

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates land coveted Spartanburg quarterback

ECU Recruiting News
Swift ECU recruit ‘in a class of his own’

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates win out for Georgia prep linebacker

ECU Recruiting News
Linebacker with pedigree charts path to ECU

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates find a gem in Palmetto State receiver

ECU Recruiting News
Official visit swayed North Mecklenburg star

ECU Recruiting News
Physical Georgia receiver poses tough matchup

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates project lineman Durant as center

ECU Recruiting News
ECU spotted potential in Conley lineman

ECU Recruiting News
ECU lands fleet-footed Georgia defensive back

ECU Recruiting News
‘Football town’ helps draw Short to Pirates

ECU Recruiting News
ECU targets edge rushers

Recent Web Roundups

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Thursday, June 1, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Wednesday, May 31, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, May 29, 2023

Writer Archives

  • Bonesville Staff
  • Brian Bailey
  • Sammy Batten
  • Bethany Bradsher
  • Brett Friedlander
  • Al Myatt
  • NFF
  • Greg Vacek
  • Danny Whitford

Recent Web Roundups

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Thursday, June 1, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Wednesday, May 31, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, May 29, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Sunday, May 28, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Saturday, May 27, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Friday, May 26, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Thursday, May 25, 2023

More Web Roundups

Copyright © 2023 Bonesville.net · Website by Seaport Webworks. · Log in · Privacy Policy