Tulsa shoots past Pirates

Staff Report
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GREENVILLE — Tulsa closed the first half on an 18-6 run and went on to take an 84-69 American Athletic Conference win at East Carolina on Tuesday night.

The spree lifted the Golden Hurricane from a 31-24 deficit with five minutes left in the first period to a 42-37 lead at the break.

ECU used an 11-2 run to pull even at 56 before Tulsa pulled away again.

James Woodard, who did not play in a 55-43 win at home over the Pirates on Jan. 5, led five Tulsa players into double figures with 22 points.

Pat Birt had 17 of his 20 points for the visitors in the first 20 minutes. Rashad Smith had 12 points for the Golden Hurricane, Rashad Ray scored 11 points and Shaquille Harrison added 10.

Harrison finished with 10 assists and eight rebounds.

B.J. Tyson, who went out with a shoulder injury with 4:59 to go, paced ECU with 16 points.

Caleb White and Prince Williams had 13 points each as the Pirates slipped to 8-10 overall and 0-6 in the AAC.

The combined league record of the four AAC teams the Pirates have faced is 18-4.

Kentrell Barkley had 10 points and 10 rebounds as ECU recorded a 33-28 edge on the boards.

Lance Tejada finished with seven points and Michel Nzege had six points and seven rebounds.

White, Barkley and Tyson each had four assists for the Pirates.

Tulsa (12-5, 4-2) made 30 of 58 field goal attempts for 51.7 percent. The Golden Hurricane was 14 of 27 beyond the arc for 51.9 percent. Tulsa made 10 of 14 free throws for 71.4 percent.

"Teams are making shots on us right and left from the perimeter," said ECU coach Jeff Lebo. "Some of them were open, some of them were contested. But once they get going the basket seems like it's a hula hoop out there and that's what happened from the perimeter."

The Pirates were 22 of 46 from the floor (47.8 percent), nine for 22 on threes (40.9 percent) and 16 of 23 at the line (69.6 percent).

ECU plays at Memphis at 2 p.m. Sunday. The Tigers are 12-5 overall and 3-1 in the league going into an AAC game at Cincinnati (13-6, 3-3) on Thursday at 7 p.m.

PAGE UPDATED 01/20/16 12:55 AM.

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