November 13 / Written By Christian Bateman
Photo Credits: ECU Basketball
East Carolina basketball returns to Minges Coliseum tonight as the Pirates look to avenge their loss to Richmond last Friday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. as ECU continues its non-conference slate against the Elizabeth City State University Vikings.
This matchup features two coaches who learned the game under legendary leaders. Mike Schwartz comes from the Rick Barnes coaching tree at Tennessee, while ECSU’s John Richardson served as an assistant under Seth Greenberg at Virginia Tech. This is Schwartz’s fourth season at the helm at ECU, and Richardson’s second leading the Vikings.
Tonight also marks a bit of history—ECU and Elizabeth City State University have never officially met in men’s basketball, making this their first-ever matchup on the hardwood.
A Deep Look at the Vikings
Elizabeth City State was active in the transfer portal this offseason, adding three new players in hopes of making a jump after finishing last in the CIAA a year ago. Coach Richardson continues to push the team’s program pillars: Effort. Consistency. The Standard. Uncommon.
Because of ECU’s significant size advantage, expect ECSU to rely heavily on perimeter shooting to keep itself in the game.
Size Could Be the Deciding Factor
ECU’s frontcourt strength should be the biggest difference-maker tonight.
Elizabeth City State’s tallest active player stands at 6’9”. Meanwhile, ECU has four players at 6’10”, including:
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Geovanni Emejuru – former George Mason big who grabbed 10 rebounds against Duke last season.
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Reid Cason – a confident 6’10” sophomore making big strides.
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Eli Delaurier – a 6’10” stretch forward capable of shooting the three.
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Vito, a 6’10” skilled post player from Croatia.
Mike Schwartz has long wanted a roster featuring multiple true post players who can play with their back to the basket—tonight, that depth could pay off in a big way.
Injury Report
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Out: Trevy, following surgery earlier this week.
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Questionable: Jayshane Woodard, who played only one minute against Richmond. His availability could significantly impact ECU’s rotation.
Keys to the Game
1. Who steps up offensively besides Jordan Riley and Emejuru?
ECU added key pieces in the portal, but they need more consistent scoring. If Mbeng or Caulker gets going, the Pirates can force the Vikings to stretch their defense, opening opportunities for pick-and-roll action and downhill attacks.
2. Shooting Efficiency
ECU struggled from the field last Saturday.
Can the Pirates improve their three-point percentage tonight?
Can they generate early free-throw attempts to build confidence for their shooters?
3. Can the Vikings survive the size mismatch?
ECSU must shoot extremely well and generate turnovers to stay competitive.
If they can push in transition and convert easy opportunities, they may hang around despite the interior disadvantage.
Summary
Tonight’s showdown in Minges should be competitive. ECSU brings in several former Division I players familiar with high-energy environments, and their shooting could help them stay in it early.
However, ECU’s size, depth, and interior presence are likely to be the difference. Expect the Pirates’ bigs to control the paint and lead ECU to a victory over Elizabeth City State University.