GREENVILLE — East Carolina overcame an 8-point deficit in the last three minutes of regulation play for a 70-64 American Athletic Conference win in overtime over Temple in Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum on Sunday.
R.J. Felton scored 24 points with 11 rebounds as the Pirates improved to 11-10 overall and 4-4 in league play.
“Eight-point game, obviously, we’ve got to go full-court defense,” said ECU coach Mike Schwartz on the Pirate radio network. “Made some adjustments offensively to go quicker.”
Two free throws by Felton with 10 seconds left in regulation tied the score at 60 and Bobby Pettiford claimed a defensive rebound at the regulation buzzer.
Jaden Walker drove and scored for a 62-60 ECU advantage with 3:05 to go in the extra period and the Pirates led the rest of the way.
ECU swept a regular-season series with the Owls (8-13, 1-7 AAC) for the first time. The Pirates took a 73-62 win at Temple on Jan. 10.
“If the guys don’t believe they can do it and play with that tenacity …,” Schwartz said. “That’s what our guys did the whole night, particularly the last four minutes.”
Pettiford had 12 points and Walker scored 10. Ezra Ausar added eight points. Brandon Johnson and Cam Hayes scored six each.
The Pirates had a 43-40 rebounding lead and made 26 of 32 free throws, 81.3 percent. ECU made six of seven from the line in overtime.
Jordan Riley led Temple with 20 points, Hysier Miller had 16 and Shane Dezonie scored 12.
The Pirates take a 2-game winning streak into a home game with South Florida (13-5, 6-1) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. (ESPN+).
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