2000-01 record: 14-14; 6-10 in Colonial Conference Final Ranking: NR Postseason: None. RETURNING LEADERS Points: Mikulas 14.9 ppg | Rebounds: Bing 7.8 rpg | Assists: Holcomb-Faye 4.2 apg | FG %: Mikulas 59.3% | 3pt %: Hawkins 38.9% | FT %: Mikulas 79.3% 00-01 Stats: East Carolina | C-USA

		Saturday, Nov. 3 One of the two new members of Conference USA, the Pirates move over from the Colonial where they were 14-14 last season. The Pirates picked a bad time to move into this league. It will be a tough transition for them. They've got a decent club returning, but taking this big a big step up in league play will be hard for them. I don't see the Pirates doing much of anything special this year.

Outlook
A team that barely averaged 4,000 fans per home game and finished its season with losses to Birmingham Southern and William & Mary has a whole lot of explaining to do about its presence in this league. Best thing Bill Herrion and the basketball program can do is shrug and point at its football program.

That's why the Pirates are here.

East Carolina brings very little to its first year of C-USA basketball, other than a slew of returning players. The top seven scorers are back, led by 6-8 sophomore Argentinian Gabriel Mikulas (15 ppg, 5.7 rpg, plus team highs in minutes, blocks and free throws made and attempted).

"When we recruited him out of Argentina, I don't think any of us knew how good a basketball player he was going to be," Herrion said. "He really exceeded our expectations. He's a basketball player. A lot of times you get the international players and the one thing is they really know how to play the game."

Herrion would be wise to let Mikulas do as much of the shooting as possible this season. He's the only returnee who made more than 44 percent of his shots. As a team, the Pirates shot an abysmal 41.1 percent from the field, dipping down to 40.2 in conference games.

If Mikulas isn't putting it up, gunner guard Fred Primus probably is. Primus, who began his career at Pittsburgh, navigated through junior college and wound up here, cranked it up a team-high 308 times last year, 218 of them from 3-point range.

What we like: Herrion says East Carolina has broken its school record for season-ticket sales, so Greenville apparently is excited about this step up in stature.

What we don't like: The Pirates had 41 more turnovers than assists in 16 league games last year -- in the Colonial Athletic Association.

The bottom line: Real good thing East Carolina has experience and proven coach on its side. Because starting from its first C-USA game against league boss Cincinnati, this could be a really long winter.

Key Players Returning
Player	Yr.	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Comment
Gabriel Mikulas	So.	F	6-8/220	PTS: 14.9 | REB: 5.7 | AST: 1.9
Fred Primus	Sr.	G	6-3/190	PTS: 13.1 | REB: 3.2 | AST: 1.5
Erroyl Bing	So.	F	6-6/250	PTS: 10.4 | REB: 7.8 | AST: 1.1
Travis Holcomb-Faye	Jr.	G	6-1/175	PTS: 9.3 | REB: 3.8 | AST: 4.2

East Carolina Signings
Player	Pos.	Ht.	High School/College
Devin Boddie	G	6-2	Durham, N.C./Jordan H.S.
Moussa Badiane	F/C	6-10	Paris, France/Academy of Creteil Paris Versailles