2022–23 East Carolina Pirates men's basketball team American college basketball season
The 2022–23 East Carolina Pirates men's basketball team represented East Carolina University during the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season . The Pirates were led by first year head coach Michael Schwartz , and played their home games at Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum as ninth-year members of the American Athletic Conference . They finished the season 15–16, 6–12 in AAC Play to finish in ninth place. They defeated South Florida in the first round of the AAC tournament before falling to Houston in the quarterfinals.
Previous season
The Pirates finished the 2021–22 season 15–15, 6–11 in AAC play to finish in ninth place. They lost in the first round of the AAC tournament to Cincinnati .
On March 11, 2022, ECU fired Dooley after four seasons.[ 1] On March 16, 2022, the Pirates hired former Tennessee assistant Michael Schwartz as their next head coach.
Offseason
Departures
Name
Number
Pos.
Height
Weight
Year
Hometown
Reason for departure
Alexis Reyes
0
G/F
6'7"
195
Freshman
Roxbury, MA
Transferred to Quinnipiac
Tristen Newton
2
G
6'5"
190
Junior
El Paso, TX
Transferred to UConn
Brandon Suggs
4
G/F
6'6"
185
Junior
Powder Springs, GA
Transferred to UCF
J. J. Miles
11
G
6'7"
215
GS Senior
Garysburg, NC
Graduated
Tremont Robinson-White
12
G
6'1"
170
Senior
Little Rock, AR
Left the team for personal reasons
Vance Jackson
13
F
6'9"
230
GS Senior
Pasadena, CA
Graduated
Tay Mosher
15
F
6'7"
215
Freshman
The Colony, TX
Transferred to Bryant
Alanzo Frink
20
F
6'8"
270
RS Junior
Jersey City, NJ
Turn pro
Marlon Lestin
25
F
6'9"
200
Freshman
Montreal, QC
Transferred to Murray State
Brenden Kelly
44
G
5'9"
165
Sophomore
Clark, NJ
Walk-on; transferred
Incoming transfers
2022 recruiting class
College recruiting information
Name
Hometown
High school / college
Height
Weight
Commit date
Saxby Sunderland PG
Oakton, VA
Flint Hill School
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
Apr 28, 2022
Star ratings : Rivals : N/A 247Sports : N/A
Elijah Jones PF
Baltimore, MD
Mt. Zion Prep
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Apr 28, 2022
Star ratings : Rivals : N/A 247Sports : N/A
Kalib LaCount PG
Los Angeles, CA
King Drew Medical Magnet
5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
150 lb (68 kg)
Apr 28, 2022
Star ratings : Rivals : N/A 247Sports : N/A
Ezra Ausar PF
Charlotte, NC
Liberty Heights Athletic Institute
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
230 lb (100 kg)
Apr 28, 2022
Star ratings : Rivals : N/A 247Sports : N/A
Valentino Pinedo PF
Spain
Sunrise Christian School
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
May 18, 2022
Star ratings : Rivals : N/A 247Sports : N/A
Overall recruiting rankings:
Note : In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.
Sources:
2023 recruiting class
College recruiting information (2023)
Name
Hometown
High school / college
Height
Weight
Commit date
Cyr Malonga #65 C
Louisville, KY
Evangel Christian School
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Sep 12, 2022
Star ratings : Rivals : N/A 247Sports : ESPN : ESPN grade: 79
Overall recruiting rankings:
Note : In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.
Sources:
Roster
2022–23 East Carolina Pirates men's basketball team
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Name
Height
Weight
Year
Previous school
Hometown
G
0
Saxby Sunderland
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
Fr
Flint Hill School
Arlington, VA
G
1
Kalib LaCount
5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
150 lb (68 kg)
Fr
King/Drew
Los Angeles, CA
F
2
Ezra Ausar
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
240 lb (109 kg)
Fr
Liberty Heights Athletic Institute
Atlanta, GA
G
3
RJ Felton
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
So
Aiken
Aiken, SC
G
4
Quetin Diboundje
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
217 lb (98 kg)
So
Tennessee
Montpellier, France
G
10
Wynston Tabbs
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
RS Sr
Boston College
Suitland, MD
F
11
Valentino Pinedo
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
Fr
Sunrise Christian Academy
Madrid, Spain
G
12
Javon Small
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
So
AZ Compass Prep
South Bend, IN
G
15
David Kasanganay (W)
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
RS Sr
Navy
Charlotte, NC
G
20
Colin McKenzie (W)
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
—
Fr
First Baptist School (SC)
Charleston, SC
G
21
Jaden Walker
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
Jr
Iowa State
Lawrenceville, GA
F
22
Jaxon Ellingsworth (W)
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
Fr
West Carteret
Morehead City, NC
F
23
Brandon Johnson
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Jr
Brunswick CC
Raleigh, NC
C
24
Ludgy Debaut
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
245 lb (111 kg)
RS Sr
NW Florida State College
Les Abymes, Guadeloupe
F
33
Elijah Jones
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Fr
Mt. Zion Prep
Pleasantville, NJ
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
(W) Walk-on
Roster
Schedule and results
Date time, TV
Rank#
Opponent#
Result
Record
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Site (attendance) city, state
Non-conference regular season
November 8, 2022 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Mercer
W 77–75
1–0
24 – Johnson
7 – Johnson
5 – Small
Williams Arena (4,610)Greenville, NC
November 12, 2022 *4:00 p.m., ESPN+
Presbyterian
W 77–57
2–0
23 – Felton
7 – Bayela
7 – Small
Williams Arena (3,726)Greenville, NC
November 16, 2022 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Hampton
W 82–73
3–0
17 –
12 – Johnson
6 – Small
Williams Arena (4,054)Greenville, NC
November 21, 2022 *2:30 p.m., FloHoops
vs. Indiana State Gulf Coast Showcase quarterfinals
L 75–79
3–1
27 – Small
13 – Johnson
2 –
Hertz Arena (516)Estero, FL
November 22, 2022 *11:00 a.m., FloHoops
vs. Toledo Gulf Coast Showcase consolation 2nd round
W 86–75
4–2
24 – Small
10 – Johnson
7 – Small
Hertz Arena (213)Estero, FL
November 23, 2022 *1:30 p.m., FloHoops
vs. UT Arlington Gulf Coast Showcase 5th place game
W 79–65
5–1
18 – Small
13 – Felton
6 – Small
Hertz Arena (198)Estero, FL
November 26, 2022 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Old Dominion
L 50–71
5–2
13 – Small
6 – Johnson
3 –
Chartway Arena (4,898)Norfolk, VA
November 29, 2022 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
South Carolina State
L 68–73
5–3
18 – Ausar
7 – Ausar
7 – Small
Williams Arena (3,850)Greenville, NC
December 2, 2022 *7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Campbell
W 79–69
6–3
25 – Felton
10 – Johnson
11 – Small
Williams Arena (3,833)Greenville, NC
December 6, 2022 *7:00 p.m., FloHoops
at UNC Wilmington
L 61–74
6–4
19 – Small
9 – Johnson
3 – LaCount
Trask Coliseum (5,221)Wilmington, NC
December 11, 2022 *2:00 p.m., ESPN+
Coppin State
W 84–75
7–4
21 – Small
10 – Johnson
10 – Small
Williams Arena (3,247)Greenville, NC
December 17, 2022 *2:00 p.m., ESPN+
vs. South Carolina Greenville Classic
W 64–56
8–4
21 – Felton
7 – Walker
6 – Small
Bon Secours Wellness Arena Greenville, SC
December 21, 2022 *6:00 p.m., ESPN+
High Point
W 60–49
9–4
16 – Johnson
15 – Johnson
8 – Small
Williams Arena (3,618)Greenville, NC
AAC Regular Season
December 28, 2022 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Temple
L 57–59
9–5 (0–1)
11 – Tied
18 – Johnson
4 – Johnson
Williams Arena (4,352)Greenville, NC
December 31, 2022 4:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Wichita State
W 79–69
10–5 (1–1)
17 – Johnson
8 – Tied
7 – Walker
Charles Koch Arena (7,039)Wichita, KS
January 4, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
UCF
L 61–64
10–6 (1–2)
16 – Tied
7 – Small
8 – Small
Williams Arena (3,675)Greenville, NC
January 7, 2023 2:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Memphis
L 59–69
10–7 (1–3)
15 – Johnson
6 – Walker
4 – Small
FedExForum (11,328)Memphis, TN
January 11, 2023 9:00 p.m., ESPNU
at Cincinnati
L 55–83
10–8 (1–4)
23 – Small
8 – Ausar
5 – Small
Fifth Third Arena (9,118)Cincinnati, OH
January 15, 2023 1:00 p.m., ESPNU
South Florida
L 70–81
10–9 (1–5)
18 – Diboundje
12 – Johnson
6 – Walker
Williams Arena (3,969)Greenville, NC
January 18, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Temple
L 58–73
10–10 (1–6)
14 – Diboundje
11 – Johnson
5 – Walker
Liacouras Center (4,007)Philadelphia, PA
January 24, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Tulsa
W 76–66
11–10 (2–6)
24 – Johnson
8 – Tied
4 – Tied
Williams Arena (3,886)Greenville, NC
January 29, 2023 12:00 p.m., ESPNU
Wichita State
L 72–85
11–11 (2–7)
22 – Felton
9 – Debaut
3 – Tied
Williams Arena (4,191)Greenville, NC
February 1, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPNU
at South Florida
L 63–71
11–12 (2–8)
18 – Felton
8 – Ausar
5 – LaCount
Yuengling Center (2,516)Tampa, FL
February 4, 2023 4:00 p.m., ESPN+
SMU
W 77–72
12–12 (3–8)
27 – Johnson
13 – Ausar
8 – Walker
Williams Arena (4,365)Greenville, NC
February 15, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Cincinnati
W 75–71
13–12 (4–8)
16 – Johnson
14 – Ausar
6 – Felton
Williams Arena (4,065)Greenville, NC
February 19, 2023 3:00 p.m., ESPN+
at SMU
L 70–86
13–13 (4–9)
27 – Felton
6 – Johnson
10 – Walker
Moody Coliseum (4,561)University Park, TX
February 21, 2023 8:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Tulsa
W 62–60
14–13 (5–9)
24 – Walker
9 – Tied
3 – Walker
Reynolds Center (3,002)Tulsa, OK
February 25, 2023 8:00 p.m., ESPN2
No. 1 Houston
L 57–76
14–14 (5–10)
15 – Ausar
8 – Ausar
4 – Felton
Williams Arena (7,589)Greenville, NC
March 1, 2023 9:00 p.m., ESPNU
Tulane
W 83–68
15–14 (6–10)
19 – Johnson
12 – Johnson
5 – Walker
Williams Arena (3,817)Greenville, NC
March 3, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
at Tulane Rescheduled from Feb. 11[ 2]
L 78–81
15–15 (6–11)
23 – Felton
13 – Johnson
5 –
Devlin Fieldhouse New Orleans, LA
March 5, 2023 2:00 p.m., ESPN+
at UCF
L 58–84
15–16 (6–12)
14 – Ausar
6 –
2 – Walker
Addition Financial Arena (5,204)Orlando, FL
AAC tournament
March 9, 2023 12:30 p.m., ESPNU
(9)
vs. (8) South Florida First round
W 73–58
16–16
22 –
7 – Felton
10 – Walker
Dickies Arena Fort Worth, TX
March 10, 2023 1:00 p.m., ESPN2
(9)
vs. (1) No. 1 Houston Quarterfinals
L 46–60
16–17
18 – Ausar
19 – Ausar
6 – Walker
Dickies Arena Fort Worth, TX
*Non-conference game.
# Rankings from
AP Poll . (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in
Eastern Time .
Source[ 3]
References