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Few would argue the contention that, by and large, college
basketball is dictated by guards.
For East Carolina, though, it has become glaringly obvious
that results are more closely tied to the play of its frontcourt, which
collectively put forth its best performance of the season Monday night
against ninth-ranked Marquette.
It was a far cry from the discombobulated effort the
Pirates' big men displayed at Coastal Carolina one week earlier in a
nightmare loss to the underdog Chanticleers.
"We went down to Coastal Carolina last Monday and we got
embarrassed and annihilated on the glass," ECU coach Bill Herrion said. "I
think it was 43-28 (in favor of Coastal) on the backboard.
"The last three, four days, we really worked on our
rebounding. I think Marquette is as good a rebounding team as there is in
the country. I thought our kids did a great job on the glass."
It was by far the best outing for a team which thus far has
received Jekyll-and-Hyde-like performances from its horses down low. East
Carolina certainly didn't resemble the same outfit that got out-muscled by
depleted George Mason — or out-hustled by under-manned Coastal.
Much of the reason for the turnaround can be directly
attributed to the play of Gabriel Mikulas, whose 22-point, 11-rebound
performance sparked an awakening among the Pirates' post players.
"I thought Gabriel Mikulas probably played the best game of
his career here at East Carolina, at both ends of the floor," Herrion said.
"He rebounded. He defended the post. He was just really, really good."
With muscle and finesse, Mikulas bobbed and weaved his way
around the basket, using his comprehensive collection of drop-steps to
attack the hoop and force the Golden Eagles into foul trouble . At times,
the junior forward performed with such precision that you have to wonder if
Herrion dropped his star player off at Jiffy Lube for a tune-up before the
game.
Ironically, for a team that is new to the glamour and glitz,
over-achieving performances have become common against high-profile foes.
Now the challenge is to transcend those efforts into everyday occurrences,
which is a must if East Carolina is serious about pursuing a postseason run.
"We hadn't been doing a very good job on the boards in the
past few games," Mikulas said after the win over the Golden Eagles. "Coach
emphasized that we needed to get better doing that.
"When you play a ranked team, you sometimes give more than
what you have. That's what we did tonight. We need to keep doing that when
we don't play ranked teams. Every night, every game, we need to do the
same."
Herrion agrees.
"That's how I expect our frontcourt to play every night
out," Herrion said. "The name of this game is consistency. It's not because
there are 8,000 people and it's Marquette — you play above and beyond what
you're capable of.
"The real test is how they play Thursday (against
UNC-Pembroke). We're going to find out how good this basketball team is
Thursday night. We've got to take care of business if we're going to be a
legitimate basketball team."
Holcomb-faye getting closer
Travis Holcomb-Faye got one step closer to returning to the
floor Monday night, dressing for the first time since the Pirates' 90-62
victory over Mount Olive. Despite his return to uniform, the senior point
guard remained on the bench for the Pirates' thrilling victory.
"I feel comfortable right now that he is doing what he needs
to do to clear up his academic situation," Herrion said. "We allowed him to
dress tonight. That was my decision — and it was my decision not to play
him. End of story, there's nothing else to be said. When I feel comfortable
inside myself, then we'll decide if he plays or not."
One positive resulting from Holcomb-Faye's absence has been
the development of key reserves. Guard Luke MacKay and forward Corey Rouse
have recently emerged as role players who can possibly provide valuable
minutes as the season progresses.
Herrion also noted following the game that his team's
ability to win without its senior leader speaks volumes about the program.
"What I'm pleased about is that we won this game without a
senior even stepping on the floor," Herrion said. "When I look at this team,
I say program.
"To me, what I like right now is, I really think this
program is heading in the right direction. I don't know how good we are
going to be this year — the wins and losses will take care of themselves."
The 'Last Word'
The Derrick Wiley-Dwyane Wade matchup should have been
billed as a must-see for serious college basketball enthusiasts.
Though neither put forth a dynamic offensive performance,
the two scoring machines battled each other like a pair of feisty
middleweights, slugging it out for nearly the entire 40 minutes of action.
About the only thing running harder and faster than the two
athletic wings was their mouths, which engaged in a trash talking battle
from the opening tip.
"He was just telling me to keep playing," Wiley said. "I was
talking to him, but he was like 'Nah, you can't get in my head.
"We were just playing back and forth. He's a really good
player and I respect him a lot. I told him at the end of the game that he
wasn't going to make that three and he didn't."
Talk was about the only defense Wiley offered on the game's
final shot. Wade got his best look of the evening when he launched the
potential game tying three from the corner pocket.
Shouting match
Wiley and Wade weren't the only ones talking. As fans
stormed the court, Herrion and Marquette coach Tom Crean met for the
postgame handshake, but the two didn't appear to exchange pleasantries, let
alone recipes.
When asked for a summation of the brief but animated
conversation, Herrion wouldn't disclose the details.
