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Bailey's Take on Pirate Sports
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From the Anchor Desk Wednesday, January 14, 2004 ----- By Brian Bailey Sports Anchor of WNCT-TV 9

Colossal challenge also an opportunity

©2004 Bonesville.net

The strength of Conference USA continues to be the three-headed monster of Louisville, Cincinnati and Marquette. The latest Associated Press Poll puts the Cardinals at No. 8, the Bearcats at No. 10, and the Eagles at No. 21.

Last year, all three of these teams were in the same division with East Carolina.

In the near future, all three teams will call the Big East home.

The Cardinals are the most impressive of the three to date. Louisville has wins over two teams, Kentucky and Florida, when those teams were ranked No. 1.

The Cards bring an 11-1 record with them to Greenville on Thursday night. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2.

It will be by far the Pirate’s toughest test to date.

“They are really playing well,” said Pirate Coach Bill Herrion. “They really like to get in your face on defense, and I’m sure they’ve scouted us and seen that we’ve turned the ball over too much.”

East Carolina’s loss to UAB still gnaws at Herrion.

“To have a winning season, you have to take care of business at home,” he said. “This is a very tough stretch that we are going through, and we really needed that win. UAB is a very good team, but I think we let one get away in that game.”

If the Pirates are to have any success on Thursday night, they have to get off to a good start. The Cards will be double-digit favorites, but the longer ECU can hang around, the better its chances become.

Belton Rivers is expected to play against the Cardinals. Rivers went through the entire Monday practice at full speed. Rivers dislocated the middle finger on his shooting hand in the loss at Charlotte on Saturday night.

Herrion says the Cards don’t look to press as much as in previous years, but their strength is still defense.

“They are just very athletic,” said Herrion. “But last year we had a five-point lead at halftime against virtually the same team, so we’ve had a little success against this team. But they are playing at a very high level at this time.”

Thursday night’s tip-off is at 9 p.m. at Williams Arena. Most Pirate games are over before 9 p.m., so this is a very different atmosphere inside the coliseum.

The Pirates have pulled at least one major upset in each of their seasons in Conference USA.

Could this be the shocker that gets this team going? Stranger things have happened, for sure.

Play Ball!

East Carolina opens baseball practice this afternoon at Harrington Field.

Coach Randy Mazey has once again chosen a theme around the College World Series for his squad in 2004.

Last year’s theme was, “We’re Going,” a reference to making a trip to Omaha for college baseball’s premier event.

This year’s theme is, “I said, ‘We’re Going.’ ”

Mazey may have made enough moves to make that claim a reality. He continues to add talent, announcing the signing of junior college transfer Brody Taylor from Louisburg.

Taylor originally signed with North Carolina for this season. He was 21-2 in two seasons at Louisburg. He was 10-0 as a sophomore.

As a freshman for the Hurricanes, Taylor went 11-2 on the mound in leading Louisburg to the Junior College World Series. He posted a 2.01 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 85 innings while only walking 14 batters. He also added one save and pitched six complete games.

ECU opens up the season on Valentine’s Weekend, hosting UNC Asheville for a three-game series.

Is there a better gift for your loved one than a box of chocolates and a couple of Pirate baseball tickets!

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02/23/2007 01:28:50 AM