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Pirates can't catch runaway Williams

THE VITALS

From staff and wire reports

MEMPHIS — DeAngelo Williams rushed for 226 yards and two touchdowns Saturday as Memphis held off an East Carolina comeback and claimed a 27-24 Conference USA victory.

Williams' performance was enough to help offset a second half surge by the Pirates that narrowed a 17-0 halftime deficit and put the game up for grabs in the final quarter.

Williams, promoted by Memphis as a Heisman Trophy candidate, had a career-high 39 rushes in the game and scored on a pair of 1-yard runs.

In the end, the Tigers (4-3, 3-2 C-USA) would need all of Williams' exploits as well as contributions from others to snap East Carolina's two-game winning streak.

The Pirates (3-4, 2-2) had cut the Tigers' lead to 20-17 on James Pinkney's 6-yard touchdown pass to Chris Johnson with 10:25 left.

But the Tigers answered with a 15-play, 80-yard drive that consumed 8:08. Quarterback Maurice Avery's 1-yard sneak capped the drive and preserved the Memphis victory.

Pinkney hit Phillip Henry with a 2-yard scoring pass with 10 seconds left for the final score.

Pinkney finished 26-of-46 passing for 297 yards, the bulk of the Pirates' 343 yards of offense. It was his seventh consecutive game with 200-plus passing yards, tying a school record.

Aundrae Allison had 10 catches for 108 yards, his fifth game of the season with more than 100 yards in receptions.

Stephen Gostkowski booted a career-long 51-yard field goal to open the Memphis scoring. The Pirates blocked another Gostkowski attempt — from 39 yards — at the close of the half.

Memphis held a 20-10 lead entering the fourth after the Pirates scored on a 27-yard field goal by Robert Lee and a 27-yard pass from Pinkney to Allison.

02/23/2007 10:54 AM

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