GREENVILLE — "Deuce" is how East Carolina football coach Ruffin McNeill refers to senior inside wide receiver Justin Hardy. It's because Hardy wears uniform No. 2.

"Deuce" became No. 1 on Saturday, moving ahead of former Oklahoma receiver Ryan Broyles for the most career catches in Football Bowl Subdivision history.

Broyles had 349 receptions for the Sooners between 2008 and 2011. Hardy finished a 34-6 American Athletic Conference win over Tulane at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Saturday with 355 catches since walking on at ECU from West Craven High School.

McNeill credited the team's well-rounded performance and resiliency before focusing on Hardy.

"Thirty-four years and 3,000-plus athletes I've coached," McNeill said. "That young man is one of the best. I'm not talking about on the field right now. I'm talking about how he carries himself and how he goes about his daily business. ... He's an example of dedication to the team. ... What you might not have noticed was how well he blocked. ...

"When you say you're the best in the history of something, the best in the history of college football, that's saying something and it's here at East Carolina University, my alma mater."

Hardy's feat is a testimony to the McNeill system, the Lincoln Riley offense and his connection with quarterback Shane Carden.

Most of Pirate Nation was well aware of the most important numbers entering a rematch with the Green Wave, which had stunned the Pirates 36-33 in triple overtime in New Orleans last season when both programs were making their farewell tours in Conference USA.

Hardy needed four catches to surpass Broyles and the Pirates needed to put the brakes on a two-game losing streak.

Hardy had two receptions on ECU's first possession, a 14-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage and a 7-yard pickup later in the series.

Hardy tied the record with a 22-yard catch and run to the Tulane 30-yard line that led to a 35-yard field goal by Warren Harvey for a 3-0 Pirates lead with 8:00 left in the first quarter.

The record breaker, the 350th catch of Hardy's college career, came with ECU facing second-and-5 at the Tulane 38 in the second quarter.

Hardy lined up as the lone receiver on the right side. He ran an 8-yard buttonhook and Carden delivered the pass. The play came with 5:46 left in the first half and the crowd of 48,433 got to their feet to acknowledge the accomplishment. Tulane corner Parry Nickerson made the stop on the play.

The ball Hardy caught and his No. 2 jersey have been requested by the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

A banner recognizing the achievement was unfurled at the Murphy Center and Hardy stood with McNeill in a brief ceremony on the field minutes later.

Hardy gave a game ball from the victory to his mother, Tara, after ECU had improved to 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the AAC. Hardy's dad, Sam, has passed away since Hardy earned a scholarship from ECU.

"I told his Mom after he passed that I was Justin's dad," McNeill said.

McNeill likes to take a figurative father role with all of his players. Hardy and Carden have developed in McNeill's no-entitlement system, working their way up from the scout team.

Hardy began contributing as a redshirt freshman in 2011 when he played in 10 games. He started eight and made 64 catches.

"I told Shane he would get his chance and to make the most of it," Hardy said.

Carden's chance came early in the 2012 season when he supplanted Rio Johnson as starting quarterback.

Tulane coach Curtis Johnson saw the record as a two-player process since, obviously, someone must throw Hardy the ball.

"Both of those guys should share that record because of the passes, the practices and the reps they have going in and out," Johnson said. "Both of those guys are phenomenal."

Carden completed 31 of 44 passes for 358 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. The Pirates did not have a turnover and penalties were minimal, five for 40 yards. Hardy's nine catches accounted for 104 yards.

The Green Wave gave Hardy some extra attention but the depth of the receiving corps, Carden's ability to go through his progressions and the versatility of Riley's attack still produced 497 total yards.

"We did some doubling on him," Johnson said. "What it does is open up other guys and open up the run game."

Cam Worthy had seven catches for 115 yards and Breon Allen ran 18 times for 74 yards.

If there was an area to address going forward, it was ECU's two for 11 performance on third down conversions.

"The defense played great," Carden said. "They were lights out the whole game. When your defense plays that great, it kind of gets some pressure off of the offense."

Mike linebacker Zeek Bigger and the defense had the offense's back, limiting the visitors to a pair of field goals.

"Team defense," Bigger said. "Everybody played their part. We needed to get back to what we do and we came out here and did it."

Hardy is Bigger's big brother and roommate. Hardy estimated he had 30 to 40 family members at the game.

The succinct Hardy talked about his motivation as a player who had only one Division II scholarship offer, from Fayetteville State, before McNeill's new staff made him a preferred walk-on in 2010.

"Don't ever let anybody tell you you can't do it," said Hardy, who has already graduated with a degree in sport studies.

He is currently pursuing another undergraduate degree in industrial technology.

The NFL will know what kind of toothpaste he uses by the time the draft rolls around.

"The power of it, is that he has his degree," McNeill said.

Saturday, Deuce added that FBS career record to his resume.

Hardy has 89 catches for 1,106 yards this season as the Pirates turn their attention to a Friday night AAC game at Tulsa (8:30 p.m., ESPNU).