Mack McCarthy took over as East Carolina's interim coach in August under difficult circumstances and led the Pirates to an improved record in 2007-08. Regardless of whether he gets to keep the job and lose the interim tag or loses his job altogether, this is a program in need of major improvements.

The Pirates lose three senior starters from a team that finished 11-19, 5-10 in Conference USA, and closed out its season with a 66-49 loss to Tulsa in the first round of the C-USA tournament.

The loss ended a difficult season that followed the resignation of Ricky Stokes after two unsuccessful seasons at ECU. Sensing he did not have the full support of his bosses, Stokes got out of town ahead of the posse and left McCarthy to pick up the pieces.

McCarthy, a former head coach at VCU and Chattanooga, did some positive things in his season as the interim coach. The Pirates beat N.C. State and George Mason in December and finished the regular season by winning three straight games, including a home win over third-place Houston, before pushing Tulane to the limit on the road before losing 77-75 in its final regular-season game.

Whether that's enough to give him another chance, McCarthy said, "I have no idea. I've had no discussions in that regard. I'm sure we'll take a little time and lick the salt out of our wounds and then have a conversation about that in the near future." Whoever takes over inherits a team that returns its leading scorer, junior guard Sam Hinnant, and its two best inside players, sophomore forwards Gabe Blair and John Fields. The Pirates also return junior guard James Legan, a JUCO transfer who helped improve their perimeter scoring, and two freshmen -- point guard Brock Young and forward Jamar Abrams -- who showed some promise off the bench.

Still, the program needs a boost in talent and numbers and McCarthy believes he is on the way toward signing a recruiting class that could offer some help. The only question is: will be around to sign those players?

As of March 16, ECU athletic director Terry Holland's only statement on the situation expressed no urgency to make an immediate decision.

"Our position has not changed in that we plan to let the dust settle on the past season, both the good games and the bad games," Holland said in an e-mail to the Greenville Daily Reflector. "Then we are going to sit down with the coaching staff and go over every part of the basketball operation as it currently exists with a focus on what the administration can and should do to help insure a competitive basketball program for ECU in (C-USA)."

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