Women's Basketball Announces 2011-12 Slate

Sept. 9, 2011

2011-12 ECU Women's Basketball Schedule^[1]

GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina women's basketball team will appear at Minges Coliseum 14 times in 2011-12 and travel to Myrtle Beach for a neutral site matchup with North Carolina, according to the release of its full schedule by school officials Friday.

The Pirates open their campaign on the road for the first time since 2006 when they travel to Charleston, S.C., for a Nov. 11 matchup with the College of Charleston at Carolina First Arena. The game marks the first between the programs.

After opening the home schedule against St. Andrew's Presbyterian College and Virginia Intermont on Nov. 13 and 17, respectively, ECU heads to UNC Wilmington for a battle with its former Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) rival at Trask Coliseum. The Pirates then return to Minges Coliseum for the second-annual ECU Thanksgiving Tournament, welcoming Elon and Delaware State for contests Nov. 26-27. Robert Morris will also take part in the tourney and play the Phoenix and Hornets.

Monmouth and VCU travel to Greenville to help close out the nonconference portion of East Carolina's home schedule on back-to-back Wednesdays as the Pirates will play the Hawks Nov. 30 and face the Rams Dec. 7. East Carolina won a 70-65 decision in Richmond on VCU's home court last season.

The first of two nonconference tournaments is on tap before the Christmas holiday as ECU will head to Myrtle Beach, S.C., for the Beach Ball Classic. Jacksonville serves as the opponent Dec. 18 before the Tar Heels come calling two days later. After taking a few days off, East Carolina will then make the trip to College Park, Md., for the Terrapin Classic.



The Pirates meet perennial CAA power Delaware to open the tournament before playing either Lafayette or host Maryland the next day.

In closing nonleague action, ECU opens the New Year and travels to defending MEAC champion Hampton for a bout with the Pirates. Two seasons ago, East Carolina downed Hampton 65-61 at the HU Convocation Center, but will be looking to avenge a 69-63 loss at Minges last year.

ECU officially begins Conference USA play Jan. 5 with a road contest at defending league champion UCF. The Pirates will play each of its East Division (Marshall, Memphis, Southern Miss, UAB and UCF) rivals in home-and-home series. As for the West Division members, East Carolina will travel to Rice, SMU and Tulsa while welcoming Houston, Tulane and UTEP to Minges.

All 12 C-USA institutions will convene in Memphis at Elma Roane Fieldhouse and FedExForum March 7-10 for the 2012 Conference USA Championship. The top four finishers in the league standings receive an automatic bid into the semifinals while the winner of the event is awarded the conference's automatic berth to the 2012 NCAA Tournament. ECU last won the event in 2007, defeating SMU, UAB and Rice on consecutive days.

References

1. ^{^} 2011-12 ECU Women's Basketball Schedule (grfx.cstv.com)