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Pirates' backs against wall after loss to Charlotte
From wire and staff reports
Box Score
GREENVILLE — East Carolina's chances of scrambling to a
second straight Conference USA Tournament berth took a couple of major
blows on Saturday — one in Minges Coliseum's Williams Arena, the other
on a basketball court in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Curtis Nash and Demon Brown terrorized the Pirates from
three-range to lead visiting Charlotte to a 71-66 victory.
It was the
49ers' fourth win in four meetings with ECU since their their cross-state rival
became a member of C-USA last season.
"We just got beat by two really good perimeter players,"
said Pirates coach Bill Herrion.
Meanwhile, down in the Deep South, Southern Miss hit 7
of 8 free throws in the final 32 seconds to defeat Tulane 76-72.
With 11 of the 14-team league's 12 tourney spots
virtually locked up heading into Saturday, ECU and the Golden Eagles had
been jostling with Texas Christian to gain possession of the final
berth.
The loss by the Pirates (12-12, 3-10) — combined with
the unexpected win by USM (4-9, 11-13 C-USA) — puts ECU just a step away
from last place in the pecking order, which is occupied by Texas
Christian (2-11, 8-17.) The Horned Frogs fell to Marquette on
Saturday, 79-68.
By virtue of its record and the two teams' remaining
regular season schedules, Southern Miss seems to be in the driver's seat
in its battle with the Pirates for a date at Louisville's Freedom Hall,
the site of the tournament which tips off on Mar. 12.
The Golden Eagles close at Charlotte (Wed., Feb.26), at
home versus South Florida (Sat., Mar. 1) and on the road at Tulane
(Sat., Mar. 8).
ECU's stretch run includes intimidating challenges at
Cincinnati (Wed., Feb. 26) and Louisville (Sat., Mar. 1) before a
regular season finale at home (Sat., Mar. 8) against Saint Louis.
Nash scored 21 points for Charlotte — including 19 in
the second half — and made 4 of 8 from behind the arc, while Brown added
20 points, including 6 of 13 threes, to frustrate the Pirates' efforts
to stay afloat in the race for tourney spots.
Curtis Withers had 14 for the 49ers (11-13, 6-6 C-USA).
Derrick Wiley and Belton Rivers led East Carolina with
15 points apiece. Erroyl Bing had 12 points and 13 rebounds, and Travis
Holcomb-Faye chipped in 11 points for the Pirates.
Charlotte led 30-28 at halftime before going on a 14-6
run early in the second half. The 49ers extended their lead to as many
as nine points.
A four-foot jumper by Wiley and four points from Bing
helped the Pirates cut the lead down to 65-63 with 1:39 left, but the
49ers hit 6 of 6 free throws the rest of the way to seal the win.
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BOX
SCORE Charlotte
(11-13, 6-6) 71, East Carolina (12-12, 3-10) 66
CHARLOTTE (71)
Player FG
FT PTS
Withers 5-11
4-5 14
Reed
0-0 0-0 0
Basden
1-3 2-2 4
Nash
7-17 3-5 21
Brown
7-14 0-1 20
Grier
2-4 1-3 5
Baldwin 2-4
0-0 4
Sager
0-3 2-2 2
Clemmons 0-1
1-2 1
Totals 24-57
13-20 71
EAST CAROLINA (66)
Player FG
FT PTS
Wiley
6-12 3-4 15
Bing
3-8 5-7 12
Mikulas 3-5
0-0 6
Rivers
5-15 1-2 15
Holcomb-Faye 4-8 2-3
11
Mackay
1-5 0-0 2
Badiane 2-2
1-2 5
Moore
0-0 0-0 0
Grindley 0-0
0-0 0
Totals 24-55
12-18 66
Halftime: Charlotte 30, East
Carolina 28.
3-point goals: Charlotte 10-26
(Brown 6-13, Nash 4-8, Baldwin 0-1, Withers 0-1, Sager 0-3); East
Carolina 6-18 (Rivers 4-8, Bing 1-3, Holcomb-Faye 1-3, Mackay 0-4).
Rebounds: Charlotte 36 (Basden
10), East Carolina 40 (Bing 13).
Assists: Charlotte 13 (Nash 6),
East Carolina 11 (Holcomb-Faye, Rivers 3).
Total fouls: Charlotte 20, East
Carolina 23.
Fouled out: Bing, Holcomb-Faye.
Technical fouls: None.
Attendance: 5,822. |
02/23/2007 10:56 AM
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The Associated Press and ECU Media Relations contributed to this report.
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