East Carolina ’s men’s basketball schedule shaping up

The Pirates’ schedule is nearing completion

Jeff Lebo is a little over three months from his first official practice as East Carolina’s men’s basketball coach, but the slate his first team will face isn’t far from being finalized.

Last season, the Pirates played in an early season tournament when they ventured to the Virgin Islands to participate in the Paradise Jam. This year, they will travel south to the Charleston Classic. The event also includes Georgetown, NC State, Charlotte, George Mason, Wofford and two yet to be named teams.

East Carolina will continue its series with Clemson, as it will travel to Littlejohn Coliseum to take on Brad Brownell’s Tigers. The Pirates will also play another non-conference game in South Carolina when it travels to Conway to square off with the Chanticleers of Coastal Carolina.

Charlotte and Old Dominion will be two of the better, if not best, teams to visit Williams Arena-Minges Coliseum during the 2010-11 campaign. The 49ers will be making their first visit since 2004-05, which was their final year in CUSA before transitioning to the Atlantic-10. ODU will also be playing in Greenville for the first time since Bill Herrion’s last season.

UNCG and Campbell are two other non-conference opponents that the Pirates will be hosting. East Carolina won 82-61 at UNCG last season after crushing the Spartans by 44 during the 2008-09 in Greenville. ECU beat Campbell handily (86-65) in its last trip to Minges in ’08-‘09, but fell 74-68 in Buies Creek last season.