Kemp, ECU douse Blazers

From electronic and staff reports
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Maurice Kemp added more luster to his shining season Wednesday night, scoring 23 points on deadeye shooting to lead East Carolina to a 74-61 Conference USA victory over UAB in Greenville.

The senior forward from Miami was 7-of-10 from the floor and 8-of-8 from the free throw line, boosting his league-leading scoring average to 18.3 as ECU kept itself planted in the top half of the league race.

The Pirates thrusted and parried their way to a 38-34 halftime lead and went on a 15-2 surge in the middle of the second frame to build a 64-47 cushion that ultimately held up against a reciprocal 11-0 run by the Blazers.

Junior guard Akeem Richmond scored 15 points, junior forward Ty Armstrong had 12 and senior point guard Miguel Paul added 11 points and 11 assists for ECU.

Junior forward Rod Rucker had 14 points and junior center Fahro Alihodzic contributed 11 to pace UAB.

The Pirates outshot the Blazers 52.1 percent to 42.6 percent for the game, but a smothering second half defensive effort was a key factor in ECU's ability to maintain the advantage when it counted most. UAB converted only 32.4 percent (11-of-34) of its field goal attempts after intermission.

The game also marked a triumphant return to courtside of "Voice of the Pirates" Jeff Charles, who called his first game after a two and a half month absence battling colon cancer. The ECU sports icon received a standing ovation during the first half from the Williams Arena crowd.

Story continues below the following picture.

Veteran play-by-play announcer Jeff Charles
interviews ECU alum and NFL All-Pro Vonta
Leach during Wednesday night's game.
Charles returned to his place behind the
mike for the first time since Dec. 1, when
he took a leave to battle cancer. Leach is
a fullback for the Super Bowl champion
Baltimore Ravens. (Photo: W.A. Myatt)

ECU (14-9, 5-5) closes out its two-game home stand with a 5 p.m. matchup against Southern Miss (19-6, 8-2) on Saturday. It will be the first time the teams have met this season. USM, which defeated Tulane 71-60 Wednesday night, is in second place in C-USA behind Memphis (21-3, 10-0.)

The Pirates, knotted in fifth place with Tulsa (13-11, 5-5,) will challenge the Golden Hurricane on the road next Wednesday.

PAGE UPDATED 02/14/13 08:24 AM.

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