# 2020–21 East Carolina Pirates men's basketball team

The 2020–21 East Carolina Pirates men's basketball team represented East Carolina University during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Pirates were led by third year head coach, Joe Dooley, who previously coached the Pirates from 1995 to 1999, and played their home games at Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum as seventh-year members of the American Athletic Conference. They finished the season 8-11, 2-10 in AAC Play to finish in last place. They lost in the first round of the AAC tournament to UCF.

## Previous season

The Pirates finished the 2019–20 season 11–20, 5–13 in AAC play to finish in 11th place. They entered as the No. 11 seed in the AAC tournament, which was ultimately cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

## Offseason
### Departures

| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Reason for departure |
| Seth LeDay | 3 | F | 6'7" | 215 | RS Senior | The Colony, TX | Left team (mid-season) |
| Logan Curtis | 5 | G | 6'3" | 195 | Freshman | Baltimore, MD | Transferred to Delaware |

### Recruiting class of 2020

College recruiting information :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date |
| Derrick Quansah C | Fayetteville, NC | Massanutten Military Academy (VA) | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) | 235 lb (107 kg) | May 3, 2019 |
| Star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: N/A 247Sports: ESPN grade: NR ||||||
| Noah Farrakhan PG | Newark, NJ | The Patrick School (NJ) | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 160 lb (73 kg) | Apr 21, 2020 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 80 ||||||
| 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: "2020 East Carolina Signees". Rivals.com. Retrieved August 16, 2020. "2020 East Carolina Signees". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 16, 2020. "2020 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved August 16, 2020. ||||||

### 2021 recruiting class

College recruiting information (2021) :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date |
| Tay Mosher SF | The Colony, TX | The Colony High School | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | 07/13/20 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: ESPN grade: NR |||||||
| Dondre Watson PF | Bronx, NY | Moravian Prep | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | 08/22/20 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: NR |||||||
| Russell Felton SG | Aiken, SC | Aiken High School | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 08/24/20 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN grade: NR |||||||
| Alexis Reyes SG | Roxbury, MA | Cushing Academy | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 09/22/20 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN grade: NR |||||||
| 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: "East Carolina 2021 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved October 1, 2020. "2021 East Carolina Pirates Recruiting Class". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 1, 2020. "2021 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved October 1, 2020. "2021 East Carolina Pirates Basketball 24/7 Sports Commits". 247sports.com. Retrieved October 1, 2020. |||||||

## Preseason
### AAC preseason media poll

On October 28, The American released the preseason Poll and other preseason awards
Coaches Poll :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Houston | 99 (2) |
| 2 | Memphis | 90 (2) |
| 3 | SMU | 80 |
| 4 | Cincinnati | 77 |
| 5 | South Florida | 61 |
| 6 | Tulsa | 50 |
| 7 | Wichita State | 44 |
| 8 | UCF | 37 |
| 9 | East Carolina | 34 |
| 10 | Temple | 18 |
| 11 | Tulane | 15 |

### Preseason Awards

* All-AAC First Team - Jayden Gardner (*unanimous selection)

## Schedule and results
### COVID-19 impact

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Pirates' schedule is subject to change, including the cancellation or postponement of individual games, the cancellation of the entire season, or games played either with minimal fans or without fans in attendance and just essential personnel.
* ECU opted out of the Gulf Coast Showcase due to COVID-19 concerns.
* The game vs. Belmont Abbey due to positive COVID-19 cases in the Belmont Abbey program.
* The games vs. Temple rescheduled for February 11 was moved to Philadelphia.
* The game vs. Wichita State scheduled for February 21 was moved to Wichita.

### Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Regular season |||||||||
| November 27, 2020* 3:00 p.m. | | at Charlotte 49er Tip-Off Classic | W 66–57 | 1–0 | 15 – Gardner | 6 – Newton | 3 – Suggs | Halton Arena (1) Charlotte, NC |
| December 1, 2020* 5:00 p.m. | | North Carolina Wesleyan | W 91–62 | 2–0 | 27 – Gardner | 8 – Newton | 9 – Jones | Williams Arena Greenville, NC |
| December 5, 2020* 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Radford | W 63–50 | 3–0 | 20 – Gardner | 8 – Gardner | 2 – Suggs | Williams Arena (78) Greenville, NC |
| December 7, 2020* 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | UNC Wilmington | W 88–78 $^{OT}$ | 4–0 | 22 – Miles | 11 – Gardner | 8 – Newton | Williams Arena (65) Greenville, NC |
| December 10, 2020* 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | North Florida | W 73–67 | 5–0 | 20 – Gardner | 12 – Gardner | 8 – Newton | Williams Arena (50) Greenville, NC |
| December 16, 2020 8:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at SMU | L 55–70 | 5–1 (0–1) | 13 – Gardner | 5 – DeBut | 4 – Robinson-White | Moody Coliseum (1,564) University Park, TX |
| December 19, 2020* 1:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | James Madison | W 73–64 | 6–1 | 18 – Suggs | 7 – Baruti | 7 – Robinson-White | Williams Arena (73) Greenville, NC |
| December 22, 2020 3:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | Tulane | W 68–58 | 7–1 (1–1) | 21 – Gardner | 10 – Gardner | 4 – Miles | Williams Arena (65) Greenville, NC |
| December 30, 2020 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Wichita State | Cancelled due to COVID-19 issues | Cancelled due to COVID-19 issues | Cancelled due to COVID-19 issues | Cancelled due to COVID-19 issues | Cancelled due to COVID-19 issues | Charles Koch Arena Wichita, KS |
| January 2, 2021 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Tulane | L 56–60 | 7–2 (1–2) | 14 – Suggs | 8 – Suggs | 5 – Jackson | Devlin Fieldhouse (100) New Orleans, LA |
| January 9, 2021 1:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | South Florida | L 63–69 | 7–3 (1–3) | 29 – Robinson-White | 10 – Gardner | 3 – Miles | Williams Arena (67) Greenville, NC |
| January 13, 2021 5:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Cincinnati | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Fifth Third Arena Cincinnati, OH |
| January 20, 2021 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at South Florida | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Yuengling Center Tampa, FL |
| January 24, 2021 4:00 p.m., ESPN2 | | Memphis | L 53–80 | 7–4 (1–4) | 15 – Robinson-White | 11 – Gardner | 3 – Tied | Williams Arena (55) Greenville, NC |
| January 27, 2021 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at UCF | L 64–71 | 7–5 (1–5) | 23 – Gardner | 10 – Gardner | 4 – Newton | Addition Financial Arena (1,407) Orlando, FL |
| January 30, 2021 12:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Tulsa | L 68–77 | 7–6 (1–6) | 26 – Gardner | 8 – Gardner | 6 – Miles | Williams Arena (82) Greenville, NC |
| February 3, 2021 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | No. 5 Houston | W 82–73 | 8–6 (2–6) | 21 – Gardner | 15 – Gardner | 6 – Newton | Williams Arena (78) Greenville, NC |
| February 6, 2021 2:00 p.m., ESPN | | at Memphis | L 59–66 | 8–7 (2–7) | 23 – Gardner | 9 – Gardner | 4 – Tied | FedEx Forum (2,371) Memphis, TN |
| February 8, 2021 5:00 p.m., ESPN2 | | SMU | L 56–71 | 8–8 (2–8) | 23 – Gardner | 9 – Gardner | 3 – Robinson-White | Williams Arena (51) Greenville, NC |
| February 11, 2021 12:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Temple Previously scheduled for Jan. 16 | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Liacouras Center Philadelphia, PA |
| February 13, 2021 12:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Temple | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Williams Arena Greenville, NC |
| February 17, 2021 ESPN+ | | at Houston | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Fertitta Center Houston, TX |
| February 21, 2021 12:00 p.m., ESPNU | | at Wichita State | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Charles Koch Arena Wichita, KS |
| February 27, 2021 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Tulsa | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Postponed due to COVID-19 issues | Reynolds Center Tulsa, OK |
| March 4, 2021 9:00 p.m., ESPNU | | UCF | L 60–64 | 8–9 (2–9) | 18 – Tied | 7 – Gardner | 5 – Newton | Williams Arena (424) Greenville, NC |
| March 7, 2021 1:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Cincinnati | L 69–82 | 8–10 (2–10) | 23 – Gardner | 8 – Suggs | 7 – Robinson-White | Williams Arena (439) Greenville, NC |
| AAC tournament |||||||||
| March 11, 2021 7:00 p.m., ESPN2 | (11) | vs. (6) UCF First Round | L 62–72 | 8–11 | 17 – Gardner | 9 – Gardner | 6 – Newton | Dickies Arena Fort Worth, TX |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern Time. |||||||||

## Awards and honors
### American Athletic Conference honors
#### All-AAC First Team

* Jayden Gardner
Source