GREENVILLE — Brandon Johnson hit a 3-pointer from the right corner with 55 seconds left to put East Carolina ahead to stay in a 62-57 American Athletic Conference win over Tulsa on Sunday in Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.
R.J. Felton made two free throws with seven seconds left to seal the outcome for the Pirates, who improved to 8-7 overall and 1-1 in the AAC.
“Big-time players make big-time plays,” said ECU coach Mike Schwartz on the Pirate radio network. “Big-time shots in big-time moments. We have it on this team.”
Johnson finished with 17 points and nine rebounds, both highs for ECU. He made seven of 12 field goal attempts.
ECU made just 11 of 34 from the floor in the first half for 32.4 percent.
Tulsa (9-5, 0-2 AAC) had its biggest lead at 29-21 with four minutes left in the half, but the Pirates closed within 32-29 at the break as Johnson scored on a fast break dunk with Bobby Pettiford Jr. assisting with seven seconds left.
ECU made 12 of 24 field goal attempts in the second half for 50 percent while holding the Golden Hurricane to eight of 27 for 29.6 percent.
Felton and Ezra Ausar had 14 points each for the Pirates. Cam Hayes had all eight of his points in the second half and Pettiford also tallied all six of his points in the last 20 minutes.
Tulsa had a 33-32 rebounding edge, but committed significantly more turnovers, 19-9.
The visitors got 18 points from Cobe Williams, 16 from P.J. Haggerty and 12 from Isaiah Barnes.
The contest drew 4,454.
The Pirates play at Temple (8-7, 1-1) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. (ESPN+).
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