Delaware State @ East Carolina preview

East Carolina will try to make it two straight under interim head coach Michael Perry when it hosts Delaware State on Saturday. Jeff Lebo resigned Wednesday with the Pirates off to a disappointing 3-4 start.

Assistant coach Michael Perry will serve as interim head coach, according East Carolina athletic director Jeff Compher. Lebo, 51, has been the coach at East Carolina for the past seven-plus seasons and leaves with a 117-122 mark with the Pirates. Perry guided the Pirates to a 6-8 record last season while Lebo was sidelined following hip surgery. The Pirates snapped a two-game slide last game by defeating UNC Wilmington 93-88 in overtime Thursday.


TV: 5 p.m. ET, No TV

ABOUT DELAWARE STATE (2-6): The Hornets have struggled thus far as losers of two straight, and their only wins have come against Division III Cairn and Division II Georgian Court. Delaware State averages only 63.4 points per game paced by Kobe Gantz at 13.5 points, but Gantz has missed the past two games with an injury and is questionable for Saturday. Nigerian junior forward Simon Okolue led the Hornets with 15 points in their last game, an 85-64 home loss to Binghamton.

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (3-4): B.J. Tyson scored a career-high 30 points and Isaac Fleming had 21 against UNC Wilmington. Tyson tied the contest at the free-throw line with six seconds to go and took over in the extra session. “This game right here was dedicated to (Lebo),” Tyson told reporters. “And I’m sure that’s true for the rest of the guys. I told one of the guys on the team I was going to come out here and play with anger, and that’s what I did. I think I left it out there on the court.”

TIP-INS

1. Perry was a head coach before compiling a 62-75 mark at Georgia State, and was an assistant at East Carolina before Lebo arrived.

2. East Carolina has played all but one of its games at home while Delaware State is 0-5 on the road.

3. Tyson (16.7 points per game), Fleming (13.3) and Kentrell Barkley (12.6) top the Pirates in scoring.

PREDICTION: East Carolina 75, Delaware State 60