UNC Wilmington @ East Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 20, 2016 ) East Carolina 71, NC-Wilmington 81

East Carolina suffered another disappointing loss at home last game, falling to North Carolina A&T. The Pirates look to rebound against another in-state foe when they host UNC Wilmington on Thursday.

Despite a soft non-conference schedule played almost entirely at home, East Carolina is off to a forgettable start. The Pirates, who lost their projected starting point guard before the season began, are 2-4 despite five home games. UNC Wilmington, under first-year coach C.B. McGrath, is also off to a slow start. The Seahawks have lost two straight and are 2-3 on the season.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN3.

ABOUT UNC WILMINGTON (2-3): Point guard Jordon Talley leads the team in scoring (17.6 points a game) and assists (8.0). The Seahawks rank fifth-worst in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 90.8 points per game, and have surrendered more than 100 points twice in losses to Loyola-Illinois and Davidson. Last time out, Valparaiso (7-0) edged UNC Wilmington 79-70 in a game in which Seahawks star Devontae Cacok fouled out with his team ahead by a point after scoring 12 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (2-4): The Pirates can't blame scheduling for their slow start. East Carolina will play 10 of its first 11 games at home and lost to an North Carolina A&T team (87-81) last time which went 3-29 last season. “You are not going to be able to win basketball games when you foul as much as we foul,” Pirate coach Jeff Lebo told reporters after the loss. “It’s just impossible, and anybody can beat you when you put them on the line 34 times. They are shooting unguarded.”

TIP-INS

1. Four Pirates scored in double figures against the Aggies, led by Isaac Fleming (23 points), Kentrell Barkley (19 points and 11 rebounds) and Shawn Williams (19 points).

2. Cacok, a 6-7 junior forward, is averaging 16.2 points and 13.2 rebounds while shooting 55.4 percent from the field. He shot an eye-popping 80 percent from the field last season.

3. McGrath served as an assistant to Roy Williams at North Carolina and Kansas.

PREDICTION: UNC Wilmington 80, East Carolina 75