The ECU men’s basketball team will begin its season on Tuesday at home against Georgia Southern.
Below is a preview from ECU Sports Information. Video from Pirate Radio and head coach Mike Schwartz’s Monday press conference about Tuesday’s game.
Check out Pirate Radio
Website | Facebook | X (formerly Twitter) | Instagram | YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify
=====
Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
East Carolina will look to win its 26th consecutive season opener on Tuesday night when the Pirates open the 2025-26 season and the fourth year of the Michael Schwartz era against Georgia Southern inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.
The Pirates return seven players from last year’s team, headlined by American Conference All-Preseason First Team guard Jordan Riley, who is the Pirates’ leading returning scorer from last season, averaging a career-high 14.5 points per game and leading the American in steals per game with two. Jayshayne Woodard and Trevion LaBeaux also return for a second season in Greenville after being key players in 2024-25. Reid Cason, Tybo Bailey, Ladontae Felton and Grant Smith round out ECU’s returning core.
Meet the Pirates
After losing nine players in the offseason including first team all-conference players RJ Felton and C.J. Walker, ECU reloaded and retooled its roster, adding size in the frontcourt with the additions of Giovanni Emejuru (George Mason), Eli DeLaurier (Providence), Luke Davis (New Orleans) and Vito Perkovic (Hamilton Heights Christian Academy) while adding two-way play at the lead guard spot in Corey Caulker (Eastern Florida State CC) and Isaiah Mbeng (William & Mary). In addition to Perkovic, ECU welcomes three other freshmen to its roster in Daithi Quinn (Tabor Academy), Paddy D’Arcy (Adelaide 36ers) and Jake Baker (Cannon).
Scouting the Eagles
Georgia Southern comes off a 17-16 campaign including an 8-10 mark in the Sun Belt in 2024-25 as the Eagles return just two players from that team. One of them is forward Nakavieon White who was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team after averaging 10.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in 2024-25. Guard Tyren Moore was named Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team in his return to the Eagles after spending last season at UAB. Moore only averaged 6.4 points per game with the Blazers but the guard led Georgia Southern in scoring in 2023-24 with 17 points per game to earn All-Sun Belt Second Team honors.
Series History
East Carolina leads the all-time series with Georgia Southern 6-3 as the teams last met on Nov. 20, 2023 in TowneBank Holiday Classic inside Minges Coliseum. The Pirates emerged victorious that night, 82-64, and in the past six meetings, the schools have alternated wins.
On This Date
Tuesday night will mark the second straight year that ECU has opened its season on Nov. 4 as the Pirates defeated N.C. Wesleyan, 97-70, last year inside Minges Coliseum.
Up Next
East Carolina travels to Richmond to face the Spiders on Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.