ECU announces 2018-19 men’s basketball schedule

GREENVILLE, N.C. – ECU will play 18 home games as part of its 30-game schedule during the 2018-19 season the American Athletic Conference announced Wednesday. The schedule features eight games against opponents that competed in postseason play a year ago and four versus first-time opponents.

Coach Joe Dooley opens his second stint at the helm of the Pirate basketball program with nine games during the month of November beginning with a pair of three-game homestands during the first 18 days, playing six of its first seven games inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.

The 2018-19 campaign starts with three consecutive home games against Delaware State (Nov. 6), James Madison (Nov. 9) and Lamar (Nov. 11). Following a quick road trip to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech (Nov. 16) for the first time since 1994, the Pirates return home for their second three-game homestand, hosting first-time opponents Rio Grande Valley (Nov. 19) and Prairie View A&M (Nov. 21) before renewing their series with High Point (Nov. 24) for the first time since 1968.

The games against Georgia Tech, Lamar, Prairie View A&M, and Texas-Rio Grande Valley are all a part of a multi-event event hosted by the Yellow Jackets.

ECU closes out the month of November with a road trip to UNCW (Nov. 27) and a home date against Appalachian State (Nov. 30).

After playing nine games in the first 24 days of the season, ECU has only three games on its docket in December with home dates against Maryland-Eastern Shore (Dec. 2) and North Carolina A&T (Dec. 28) with a road contest at Charlotte (Dec. 18) sandwiched between.

Television designations for non-conference home games and road contests have not been determined and will be announced at a later date.

The Pirates will begin their fifth season in The American by playing four of their first six conference games on the road starting in Dallas against SMU (Jan. 2) before welcoming reigning league champion Cincinnati (Jan. 5) to Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum for their home opener three days later.

ECU will then embark on a two-game road swing to Memphis (Jan. 10) and UCF (Jan. 13) before returning home for its lone matchup of the year against Temple (Jan. 16).

The Pirates do not make return trips to Cincinnati or Temple this season nor will they host SMU or UCF.

Following a road game at Houston (Jan. 23), ECU will play six of its next nine games at home, hosting USF (Jan. 26), Tulane (Jan. 31), Wichita State (Feb. 6), Memphis (Feb. 13), Tulsa (Feb. 17) and Houston (Feb. 27). The Pirates have road games at UConn (Feb. 3), USF (Feb. 10) and Tulane (Feb. 23) during this stretch.

In March, ECU will complete the regular season with back-to-back road games at Tulsa (March 3) and Wichita State (March 5) before finishing at home against UConn (March 10).

The American Basketball Championship will be held at the FedExForum in Memphis from March 14-17.

Season tickets for the 2018-19 campaign are currently on-sale through the ECU Online Ticket Center and can also be purchased by calling the ECU Athletics Ticket Office at 1-800-DIAL-ECU (342-5328).