Record-setting Richmond rallies Pirates

ECU advances to second round game against host UTEP

By Al Myatt
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EL PASO, TX — Akeem Richmond and East Carolina erased an 18-point first half deficit to deal Texas-San Antonio a 79-76 defeat Tuesday night in the first round of the Conference USA Tournament at the Don Haskins Center.

Richmond broke his own school record for 3-pointers in a game with 11 and established a new league record in the process.

The sharpshooter from Sanford also surpassed the league mark for threes in a season set by Robert McKiver of Houston in 2007-08. McKiver made 145 behind the arc during that campaign.

Richmond has 150 made threes going into ECU's 8 p.m. (EDT) game with host Texas-El Paso tonight. That total puts him fourth on the NCAA Division I list for a season. Stephen Curry is the record holder with 162 for Davidson in 2007-08.

Richmond's 411 career threes have him tied for ninth in the NCAA Division I record book.

The Pirates trailed 46-28 with just over three minutes left in the first half against UTSA, which fell 81-71 in Greenville on Feb. 8 as Richmond scored 31.

ECU had a 40-9 run from that point to lead 68-55 with 6:31 to go. Richmond had 21 points in the second half.

UTSA (8-22) closed within 78-76 with five seconds left on a 3-pointer by Devon Agusi, who led five Roadrunners into double figures with 21 points.

Prince Williams made one of two free throws for the Pirates for the final margin before Agusi's tying attempt bounced off the rim as time ran out.

Paris Roberts-Campbell had 20 points for ECU (17-15). ECU freshman Caleb White added nine points in 25 minutes before picking up his fifth foul.

Michael Zangari contributed five points for the Pirates. Williams had four points and five rebounds. Antonio Robinson had three points, four assists and two steals. Brandan Stith finished with two points and five rebounds.

The board battle figures to be a factor as the 12th-seeded Pirates meet UTEP (22-9), the No. 5 seed. The Miners outrebounded ECU 42-17 in a 58-47 victory in Greenville on Feb. 6.

The Pirates are assured of a non-losing season after improving to 3-1 in C-USA Tournament games in El Paso. ECU defeated Central Florida and Alabama-Birmingham at UTEP in 2011 before falling to Memphis.

UTSA made 17 of 26 field goal attempts in the first half Tuesday night for 65.4 percent, but dropped just eight of 26 in the second half for 30.8 percent.

The Pirates warmed up to make 11 of 20 field goal tries in the second half for 55 percent. ECU finished 14 of 29 (48.3 percent) from long range and sank 21 of 30 free throws (70 percent) to outscore the 13th-seeded Roadrunners by seven points at the line.

PAGE UPDATED 03/12/14 02:59 AM.

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