North Carolina A&T @ East Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 14, 2016 ) No.Carolina A&T 51, East Carolina 61

Struggling East Carolina begins a stretch of six straight home games when it hosts North Carolina A&T on Sunday. The Pirates limp back to Greenville, N.C., from their first road test of the season, where they were hammered at Rutgers.

Rutgers, the nation's leader in scoring defense, held East Carolina to a season-low in points with a 61-47 decision Friday. Pirates senior Jabari Craig scored a career-high 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting with five rebounds in 22 minutes. Isaac Fleming also had 14 for East Carolina, which continues to struggle with its guard play by recording seven assists while turning the ball over 19 times. North Carolina A&T, led by the nation's leading scorer Femi Olujobi at 29.4 points per game, has won three straight since losing at Clemson.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN3

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA A&T (4-1): The Aggies were ranked 14th nationally through Friday's games by averaging 92.8 points and have eclipsed the century mark twice this season. Olujobi scored 27 points and hauled down 11 rebounds and North Carolina A&T routed United States Collegiate Athletic Association member Mid-Atlantic Christian 115-76 on Tuesday night. He scored a career-high 37 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in the Aggies' 90-82 overtime victory over Jacksonville on Nov. 18.
ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (2-3): The Pirates are off to a slow start with their only wins coming against Cleveland State and Coppin State, teams that are a combined 1-10 on the season. B.J. Tyson leads East Carolina in scoring at 15.2 points per game, but was held to eight against the Scarlet Knights. Junior Kentrell Barkley, who entered the contest against Rutgers averaging 15 points, was held scoreless for the first time since his freshman season.

TIP-INS

1. The Pirates are 2-2 at home this season.
2. Fleming has assumed the role of starting point guard and has 27 assists and 18 turnovers on the season.
3. North Carolina A&T senior G Aaren Edmead saw his first action of the year last game and scored 13 points in 20 minutes.

PREDICTION: East Carolina 90, North Carolina A&T 83