Radford @ East Carolina preview

Despite playing without projected starting point guard Jeremy Sheppard, who was dismissed from the team in the preseason, East Carolina rolled past Coppin State in its opener Sunday. The Pirates are back in action Wednesday when they host Radford in a non-conference game.

East Carolina got 14 points apiece from Kentrell Barkley and Shawn Williams to win its 16th consecutive home opener Sunday. The Pirates' defense limited the Eagles to 24.6 percent shooting from the field. Radford leveled its record at 1-1 after falling at Ohio State 82-72 on Sunday. The Highlanders got 19 points from redshirt freshman Carlik Jones but couldn't recover from the Buckeyes' 17-1 run to start the second half.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3

ABOUT RADFORD (1-1): Jones, a Cincinnati native, knocked down 6-of-8 shots including a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc against the Buckeyes playing in front of nearly 100 friends and family members. Jones also led the team in scoring with 15 points in a season-opening 72-63 win against Georgia Southwestern. Ed Polite Jr., who was named to the preseason All-Big South second team, had a double-double in the opener and scored 10 points and pulled down six rebounds versus the Buckeyes.

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (1-0): Sheppard and reserve Raquan Wilkins reportedly will not return to the team because of a violation of team rules. Without their point guard, the Pirates used a three-guard rotation in their opener and got a team-high four assists from Isaac Fleming, and three assists and eight points from guard B.J. Tyson. Tyson moved into eighth place in the East Carolina all-time scoring list with 1,130 points.

TIP-INS

1. Tyson, who struggled shooting last season (38.4 percent), was 1-for-6 from the field for the Pirates in the opener.

2. Barkley has scored in double figures in 14 of his last 15 games.

3. Polite Jr. averaged 11.8 points and 9.5 rebounds last season.

PREDICTION: East Carolina 70, Radford 64