RE: ECU - 11/27 - CAA.TV
Looks like the player to watch for from ECU will be a freshman forward, Jayden Gardner. He's leading the team in scoring (16.6 ppg), FG % (.600), rebounding (7.4 rpg), and is the team's best free throw shooter (.786). He's gotten to the line 56 times, far more than the next best on the team (32).
Redshirt junior forward Seth Leday is also having a solid season, with 12.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg, and 7 blocks. Cacok, O'Connell and Cylla will be busy defending the post in this one.
Recently reinstated sophomore guard Shawn Williams, who had been suspended "indefinitely" on Nov 6, immediately joined the starting lineup and has averaged 37 minutes per contest. He put up 29 points in the 2 games since he's been back.
Another freshman, Tae Hardy (5.4 ppg), has started all 7 games for the Pirates, but I'm not really sure why unless he's really good defensively. He does have 11 steals, so there's that. Sophomore guard K.J. Davis (7.7 ppg, 10 blocks) and senior guard Isaac Fleming (7.7 ppg, 3.0 apg) are the two other minutes leaders.
The Pirates A/TO ratio is what jumps out as their biggest issue. Against a very weak schedule, they've dished out 99 assists compared to 129 turnovers (18.4 per game). They're also a weak perimeter shooting team, hoisting up 118 from deep but only connecting on 33 (.280). For comparison, we're shooting .361 from deep. The only thing they seem to do well at is protect the rim, with 33 blocks in 7 games. But that also might be a product of their schedule.
Yes, we should win this one.
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