GREENVILLE — Double-doubles from Ezra Ausar and Brandon Johnson helped East Carolina to a 63-52 nonconference win over Maryland-Eastern Shore on Monday evening in Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.
Ausar returned after sitting out a 74-66 win over UNC Wilmington on Thursday with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Johnson had 15 points and 10 rebounds as the Pirates improved to 6-3 going into a home game with South Carolina on Saturday at noon.
R.J. Felton added 13 points before a crowd of 3,625.
ECU will take on Florida in Lakeland, FL, on Thursday, Dec. 14, at 7 p.m. after facing the Gamecocks.
Pirates coach Mike Shwartz stressed continued improvement as the caliber of competition steepens.
“No. 1 one is for our guys to be handling business academically because we are in final exams right now,” Shwartz said. “They are getting ready to do that. Tomorrow, because of academics, we are. The message is we have to get better between Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and we have to get better Saturday.
Ausar made two free throws with 1;59 left in the first half to put ECU ahead to stay at 29-28.
The biggest lead for the Pirates was 61-41 with 6:06 left to play.
The Hawks (2-5) got 13 points from Chace Davis, 12 from Devon Ellis and 10 from Elijah Wilson.
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