East Carolina’s men will take on No. 11 Michigan State in the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Tuesday at 1 p.m.
The Spartans are 5-0 after rolling past Kentucky, 83-66, last week in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden. It’s the first time in five years the Spartans have started the season 5-0.
ECU is 2-3 after its loss last week to Charleston Southern.
Below are more details from ECU Sports Information.
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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
FORT MYERS, Fla. – East Carolina is set to compete in the Sunshine State on Thanksgiving week when the Pirates will play in the Fort Myers Tip-Off against No. 11 Michigan State and St. Bonaventure at Suncoast Credit Union Arena.
The Pirates will take on the Spartans on Tuesday at 1 p.m. ET on FS2 with Jeff Levering (play-by-play) and LaPhonso Ellis (analyst) on the call while facing the Bonnies on Thanksgiving Day at noon on FS1 with Adam Amin (play-by-play) and Jim Jackson (analyst) on the call.
Jordan Riley currently averages 18.5 points per game while adding six rebounds and 2.5 steals per night. Giovanni Emejuru controls the paint for the Pirates, with a near double-double of 17 points and 9.8 rebounds per game while Tybo Bailey adds 10.6 points per contest.
Last Time Out
Giovanni Emejuru had a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds but East Carolina dropped its second straight game on Friday night, falling 77-65 to Charleston Southern inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.
Scouting the Spartans
Michigan State comes into Tuesday’s game coming off an 84-56 win at home on Friday night over Detroit Mercy. Jeremy Fears Jr. led the Spartans with 18 points and 11 assists and the Spartans made eight triples in the win. Jaxon Kohler leads the team in scoring with 15.2 points per night, followed by Fears Jr. (11.8 ppg), Coen Carr (10.8 ppg) and Cameron Ward (10.0 ppg).
Scouting the Bonnies
St. Bonaventure also comes into the Fort Myers Tip-Off with a 5-0 mark after defeating Robert Morris, 75-61, on Thursday at home behind two double-doubles from Frank Mitchell (19 points, 16 rebounds) and Cayden Charles (12 points, 10 rebounds). Darryl Simmons II leads the Bonnies in scoring with 18.6 points per night, while Mitchell (16.0 ppg) and Charles (14.4 ppg) provide secondary scoring.
Series History
East Carolina will face both Michigan State and St. Bonaventure for the first time in program history. The last time ECU faced an opponent from the Big Ten was on Nov. 24, 2017, against Rutgers.
Up Next
East Carolina hosts UMES on Tuesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+ for the first of a five-game homestand.