Freshman Barkley lifts Pirates

Staff Report
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GREENVILLE —  East Carolina freshman Kentrell Barkley played 40 minutes in a 64-61 American Athletic Conference win over Temple in Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum on Wednesday night.

He boosted the Pirates down to the final second when his offensive rebound and 3-point play gave ECU its first hoops victory over the sixth-winningest program in NCAA Division I.

Barkley, a first-team all-state performer at Northern Durham last season, finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists as the Pirates improved to 10-11 overall and 2-6 in the AAC.

Barkley made his first start Sunday in an 84-83 win at Memphis as Caleb White was out with a concussion.

White was limited to six minutes against the Owls (11-8, 5-3).

Senior point guard Prince Williams scored 18 points for ECU, making six of 12 from the field and all five of his free throws.

Williams scored seven straight points for the Pirates beginning with a 3-point play for a 57-54 lead with 2:50 left to play. His jumper with 1:07 remaining gave ECU a 61-59 lead.

Temple's Josh Brown made two free throws with 21 seconds to go to tie the score at 61.

Williams put up a jumper with five seconds left that Barkley rebounded for the deciding points.

The Pirates were effective in transition, outscoring the Owls 22-0 on fast break points. ECU also managed a 36-24 advantage on points in the paint, an area that has challenged the Pirates from a personnel standpoint.

B.J. Tyson, who had 26 points at Memphis, scored 14 in the second game of the season with Temple.

The Owls won the first meeting in Philadelphia 78-60 on Jan. 9. White had 14 points for the Pirates in that contest and Clarence Williams added 12. ECU led that game by 11 points with 1:44 left in the first half before Temple went on a 15-0 run.

The Pirates had just eight turnovers the second time around.

"Just a terrific win for our kids, for our program," said ECU coach Jeff Lebo. "I don't even think the guys, our players, understand what a big win that actually was. They're a team that beat SMU, Cincinnati twice, at Connecticut.

"With all the adversity we've faced this year, to win that game with these guys is a really special moment."

Michel Nzege had eight points and five rebounds for the Pirates. Michael Zangari had seven points and seven rebounds.

Clarence Williams tallied four points.

ECU overcame three of 17 shooting beyond the arc (17.6 percent), a factor that had figured to be vital to this Pirate team's success.

Obi Enechionyia led Temple with 18 points. Quenton DeCosey added 14 for the Owls.

DeCosey had 11 rebounds and Ernest Aflakpui grabbed 10 as the Owls held a 39-34 advantage on the boards.

ECU led 28-26 at the half.

Houston visits the Pirates at noon Saturday. The Cougars are 13-6 overall and 3-4 in the AAC after an 81-66 win over visiting Tulsa on Wednesday night.

PAGE UPDATED 01/28/16 08:32 PM.

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