The East Carolina University (4-7, 0-0 AAC) men’s basketball team had failed to win back-to-back games in over a calendar year. Not since Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 2018 had the Pirates defeated two straight opponents. The second of those opponents back in 2018, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (1-11, 0-0 MEAC), was in town on Tuesday to face ECU for only the second time in program history.
On the back of double-doubles from sophomore forward Jayden Gardner and freshman forward/guard Brandon Suggs, the Pirates defeated UMES by a score of 71-57 inside Minges Coliseum.
Entering play, Gardner had been the man for the Pirates, scoring 199 points through the first 10 games of his sophomore campaign, a number that ranks second in ECU program history.