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2019-20 American Athletic Conference preview: After UConn, the league is wide open

By Russell Steinberg

ALBANY, NY - MARCH 29: Connecticut Huskies Guard Crystal Dangerfield (5) dribbles the ball past UCLA Bruins Guard Japreece Dean (24) defending during the first half of the game between the UCLA Bruins and the University of Connecticut Huskies on March 29, 2019, at the Times Union Center in Albany NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ALBANY, NY - MARCH 29: Connecticut Huskies Guard Crystal Dangerfield (5) dribbles the ball past UCLA Bruins Guard Japreece Dean (24) defending during the first half of the game between the UCLA Bruins and the University of Connecticut Huskies on March 29, 2019, at the Times Union Center in Albany NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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UNIVERSITY PARK, TX – JANUARY 13: East Carolina Lady Pirates guard Raven Johnson (11) brings the ball up court during the women’s game between SMU and East Carolina on January 13, 2018, at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, TX. (Photo by George Walker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
UNIVERSITY PARK, TX – JANUARY 13: East Carolina Lady Pirates guard Raven Johnson (11) brings the ball up court during the women’s game between SMU and East Carolina on January 13, 2018, at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, TX. (Photo by George Walker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

East Carolina Pirates
Projected finish: Eighth

Key returners (Last year’s stats):

G Lashonda Monk, 5’6, Jr.: 13.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.4 APG
G Raven Johnson, 6’0, Sr.: 12.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG
G Ariyana Williams, 5’9, Jr.: 5.5 PPG, 1.5 RPG
G Necole Hope, 5’10, Jr.: 4.6 PPG, 2.0 RPG
G Justice Gee, 5’7, Sr.: 3.7 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.4 APG
G/F Dominque Claytor, 5’11, RS-Jr.: DNP (Injury)

Biggest losses:

G Alex Frazier, 5’9: 8.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG
F Destiny Campbell, 6’1: 7.0 PPG, 3.9 RPG
F Salita Greene, 5’11: 5.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG
G Jade Lewis, 6’0: 4.3 PPG, 1.7 RPG

Newcomers:

G Taniyah Thompson, Fr.
F Xianna Josephs, Fr.
G Katerina Tsineke, Fr.
G/F Ryann Evans, Fr.

Head coach: Kim McNeill, first season

Kim McNeill comes to East Carolina with nearly two decades of coaching experience as an assistant, then as the head coach at Hartford from 2016-19. She led the Hawks to a 59-38 overall record and appearance in the WNIT before taking the job in Greeneville (aka G-Vegas, which is the only way I will ever refer to it from now on).

Key non-conference games:

Nov. 20 at VCU
Dec. 21 vs. Dayton
Dec. 29 at Georgia

Outlook:

At 16-15 last year, East Carolina was very, very good defensively and very, very bad offensively. The Pirates forced over 20 turnovers per game…but shot only 35 percent from the field. They ranked 15th in opposing points per 100 possessions…and 292nd in offensive points per possession. For what it’s worth, McNeill has had most of her success on the defensive end. Hartford was the top team in the nation last year in turnover rate and the second in turnovers per game, forcing 24.6.

The good news is that Lashonda Monk and Raven Johnson, the two leaders of this team, are back. They were the two leading scorers last year and combined for 42 percent of the Pirates’ total scoring. They just weren’t exactly efficient at doing it, with neither shooting better than 34 percent from the field or 26 percent from three.

Getting Dominque Claytor back will help, but the Pirates still don’t have much of a returning frontcourt to speak of. Watch for freshman Ryann Evans, a wing who was a 600-point, 600-rebound player in prep school. The two of them could help offset the loss of Salita Greene, the team’s second-leading rebounder.

Best-case scenario:

The Pirates endured a turbulent season last year when head coach Heather Macy resigned on the eve of the season. Still, they managed a winning record. With no truly impossible non-conference games, a winning record is also attainable in 2019-20. In conference, they can improve on that 6-10 mark by avoiding losses to the league cellar. I’m not sure you could ask much more from them.

Worst-case scenario:

The program has a new coach, not a ton of talent, and hardly any size. An entirely forgettable season doesn’t seem like much of a stretch.

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