East Carolina (1/17/24)

[CMJ]

Road games in conference are never gimmes, but on paper this is one we should win.

[Andrew]

28 minutes ago, CMJ said:

Road games in conference are never gimmes, but on paper this is one we should win.

Hoping we get at least Buggs back as well. 

[Matt from A700]

20 minutes ago, Andrew said:

Hoping we get at least Buggs back as well. 

He said at the end of the game he's hoping to be ready Wednesday.

[Andrew]

52 minutes ago, Matt from A700 said:

He said at the end of the game he's hoping to be ready Wednesday.

Yeah I would hope. Definitely need our guys by the time we play SMU.

[Big Z]

Spread right now is East Carolina +5

[THOR]

does basketball get the "home game 3 points" like they do in football or is it more/less/nothing?

[Shark84]

If Jones isn't 100%, I'd sit him for as long as we have to. No need to rush him back and hurt it worse and possibly miss the conference tournament.

[Jonnyeagle]

1 hour ago, Shark84 said:

If Jones isn't 100%, I'd sit him for as long as we have to. No need to rush him back and hurt it worse and possibly miss the conference tournament.

You understand he could be the difference between winning and losing to ECU and Charlotte?

[Censored by Laurie]

Just now, Jonnyeagle said:

You understand he could be the difference between winning and losing to ECU and Charlotte?

"oh, look...a tree" - guy standing in forest.

[Andrew]

30 minutes ago, Jonnyeagle said:

You understand he could be the difference between winning and losing to ECU and Charlotte?

I think we work Buggs back in versus ECU off the bench. Then get his minutes back up versus Charlotte and hopefully try Ruben some if needed. Wouldn’t hurt testing him to see if he can go against SMU at home. Charlotte, SMU, UAB, and us are all trying to make a name as the third best team in the conference. That’s assuming Memphis and FAU hold out. 

[UNTLifer]

48 minutes ago, Andrew said:

 Charlotte, SMU, UAB, and us are all trying to make a name as the third best team in the conference. 

I bet if you posed the question to our team and coaching staff, they'd tell you they are trying to make a name as the best team in the conference.  Nobody plays for third.

[NT80]

How to watch, what to expect, as North Texas visits ECU

The Pirates welcome the Mean Green to town on Wednesday.

"What’s more impressive about North Texas’ recent run is it has done so without two of its best players in guards Rubin Jones and John Buggs III. Jones has missed the last two games and is averaging 12.2 points per game with a team-high 49 assists. Buggs has missed three consecutive games. The UTSA transfer is averaging 7.2 points per game and shooting 39 percent from 3-point range. Both players are questionable for Wednesday’s contest."

https://247sports.com/college/east-carolina/Article/how-to-watch-what-to-expect-as-north-texas-visits-ecu-225533315/

[NT80]

ECU fan forum thread on NT game (very limited)...

https://eastcarolina.sportswar.com/mid/18849025/board/ecubanter/

[Big Z]

Spread is now East Carolina +3

[Coach Andy Mac]

Who's Playing

North Texas Mean Green @ East Carolina Pirates

Current Records: North Texas 10-5, East Carolina 9-8

How To Watch

• When: Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET
• Where: Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum -- Greenville, North Carolina
• TV: ESPN Plus
• Follow: CBS Sports App
• Online Streaming:  Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
• Ticket Cost: $10.00

What to Know

North Texas has enjoyed a two-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. The North Texas Mean Green and the East Carolina Pirates will face off in an American Athletic battle at 7:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday at Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum. North Texas' defense has only allowed 58.4 points per game this season, so East Carolina's offense will have their work cut out for them.

Winning is just a little bit easier when your shooting is a whole 16.4% better than the opposition, a fact North Texas proved on Saturday. They enjoyed a cozy 69-51 victory over the Owls.

[Shark84]

16 hours ago, Jonnyeagle said:

You understand he could be the difference between winning and losing to ECU and Charlotte?

I also understand that losing Rubin for the rest of the season would hurt more than losing a game or two now. Our chances of making the NCAA tournament will be decided during the conference tournament in Ft. Worth. The biggest thing is to try and earn a first round bye. There will be no easy games regardless of the seeding. 

[UNTLifer]

12 hours ago, Big Z said:

Spread is now East Carolina +3

Call in your bets, if you like gambling.

[Andrew]

46 minutes ago, Shark84 said:

I also understand that losing Rubin for the rest of the season would hurt more than losing a game or two now. Our chances of making the NCAA tournament will be decided during the conference tournament in Ft. Worth. The biggest thing is to try and earn a first round bye. There will be no easy games regardless of the seeding. 

You don’t believe if we win out or only lose to Memphis we would get an at large bid?

[cousin oliver]

3 minutes ago, Andrew said:

You don’t believe if we win out or only lose to Memphis we would get an at large bid?

I agree with you @Andrew, if we defeat Memphis I think we are deserving of a ticket barring some inexplicable meltdown in the remainder of the season and tourney.

[HoosMeanGreen]

13 minutes ago, Andrew said:

You don’t believe if we win out or only lose to Memphis we would get an at large bid?

The OOC loses are not “bad”, but there are too many. Winning the tournament is the only way this team’s name is called on Selection Sunday. This conference has 2 marquee names and one of those is suspect at the moment. Losing to Memphis will not be a “bad loss”, but it adds one more to the “look Hoo they lost to” and the “Hoo did they beat” total remains 0. Correct me if I am wrong, but after 15 games, our biggest win of the season remains a home overtime win over 9-8 UNI. We only consider it to be a “big” win because of their preseason “First” projection. They are firmly in 7th place in the Missouri Valley. Defeating the likes of Temple, Wichita State, Tulane, South Florida, Charlotte is not going to move the needle a micrometer. 
 

As a lifelong Hoo, I’ve gone through this before. 20-10 and beating Duke or Carolina once in Charlottesville never cut it. ACC road games are tough for non-NCAA teams. Duke, Carolina, and Virginia up until this season regularly walks into your gym, kicks your ass, and leaves. UNT boasts a .800 road winning record over the past 2/3/4 years (forgive me for I am still new), so I am literally at a loss to hear how conference road games are tough. Hell - all games are tough until the end when you win by 15. 
 

Apologies for the rant - we should win these 2 road games and NCAA tournament talk is just chatter sans winning the conference tournament. You want to be a 3 bid league, then you have to win OOC games vs NCAA teams. Only 2 teams in the AAC did that this season. A poor conference showing could derail one of those 2. The glass slipper has a crack in it.

GMG

[NorthTexasWeLove]

[Shark84]

3 hours ago, Andrew said:

You don’t believe if we win out or only lose to Memphis we would get an at large bid?

I would love for us to go undefeated in conference play,  but I don't think that is going to happen. 

Edited January 17 by Shark84

[BigWillie]

2 hours ago, Shark84 said:

I would love for us to go undefeated in conference play but that I don't think that going to happen. 

It is very hard to do. You just have off nights. Look at FAU who looked like they could run the table.

[tmjerm]

46 minutes ago, BigWillie said:

It is very hard to do. You just have off nights. Look at FAU who looked like they could run the table.

They’ve proven themselves over the past two seasons to be a solid team but I think they’ve been a little overhyped and opportunistic.  They have several skins on the wall and I’m not saying they’re not a great team.  I just don’t think that they and us are all that far apart if we have an opportunity.  So glad to be in the AAC now where what happened past year doesn’t feel quite as dire.  No guarantees and this year’s squad is still proving themselves but I like our guys even against the Owls. 

[Tom McKrackin]