GAME NOTES: The East Carolina Pirates will host the UNC Greensboro Spartans in the second leg of a three-game homestand at Minges Coliseum on Sunday afternoon.

UNC Greensboro has limped to a 4-8 start to the season so far, and has dropped its last two contests to North Carolina (79-56) and Elon (71-64). The Spartans have performed surprisingly poor at home this season with a 2-4 mark, combining it with a 2-2 record on the road.

East Carolina has won two of its last three games, including a 75-57 victory over Florida A&M in the first contest of the team's three-game stretch run at home. The Pirates are 6-6 overall this season with a 5-1 ledger at home.

This contest will be the 13th meeting all-time between UNCG and East Carolina. The Pirates own a 10-2 lead over the Spartans, who have met on the court in each of the last seven years and in nine of the past 10 seasons.

UNCG allowed Elon to shoot an even 50 percent from the field in the Spartans' last outing, while the team connected on just 33.3 percent of its shots from the floor in the loss. Kayel Locke led the way for Greensboro, netting 17 points with nine rebounds in 37 minutes of action. RJ White tallied a double- double of 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Tevon Saddler added 15 points in the losing effort, making 8-of-10 from the free-throw line.

The Spartans come into this clash with East Carolina scoring an even 70.0 ppg this season, making 43.4 percent of their field goal attempts in the process. But it's been containing opponents' scoring that has been a bit of an issue for the team, as it allows 74.7 ppg on 46 percent shooting to those challengers. Saddler tops the team in the scoring category with 15.4 ppg, followed by Locke (13.0 ppg) and White (12.1 ppg), who also leads the squad in rebounding at 7.8 boards per outing. Nicholas Paulos rounds out the team's double-digit scorers at 11.7 ppg.

On paper, East Carolina had quite the advantage going up against Florida A&M, which at the time of the two team's meeting, the Rattlers were 0-10 on the season. Caleb White paced the Pirates in the win with 19 points, while Michel Nzege added 14 and six rebounds. B.J. Tyson came off the bench to contribute 11 points in the one-sided win for the home squad.

Tyson, a freshman guard, hasn't started a single game this season for ECU, and apparently it's worked out just how the coaching staff would hope. Tyson enters this game against Greensboro as the team's leading scorer, netting 14.3 ppg on 44.4 percent shooting. White (13.7 ppg) and Terry Whisnant (12.8 ppg) round out a trio of double-digit scorers for the Pirates, who as a unit are scoring a solid 70.8 ppg on 43.2 percent shooting. Nzege and Michael Zangari each lead ECU this season on the glass, pulling down 5.7 rpg apiece.

After dismantling Florida A&M, East Carolina's spirits should be soaring as the team prepares for its next two games in front of a friendly crowd. The Spartans are in need of a win to get the season back on track, but a poor scoring defense going against a strong ECU offense doesn't seem like a recipe for success.

Sports Network predicted Outcome: East Carolina 65, UNC Greensboro 53