Pirates close out Cincinnati

By Al Myatt
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Post-game Audio: Lebo & players...

GREENVILLE — East Carolina scored the last 11 points of Sunday's American Athletic Conference contest with Cincinnati in Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum for a 50-46 win.

Freshman B.J. Tyson led ECU (9-12, 2-6 AAC) with 18 points as the Pirates halted a three-game losing streak with their first triumph in nine tries against Cincinnati (15-6, 6-3).

The Bearcats had beaten ECU 69-48 on Jan. 6 at Cincinnati.

"It was a great win for our kids and I'm really happy for them," Pirates coach Jeff Lebo said. "They've been resilient all year long and they found a way to win."

The statistics provided some confounding numbers for the Pirates, whose offense is based on their outside shooting. ECU was coming off of a 70-58 loss at Memphis on Wednesday night.

"Basketball is such an odd game," Lebo said. "We go 13-of-27 from three against Memphis and lose by double figures. Today, we shoot 4-of-19 from three at home against Cincinnati and win. We got outscored by Memphis by about 25 or 30 in the paint, then we outscore Cincinnati in the paint (26-20). It's just a weird game.

"If you had told me we had won with Caleb (White) and Terry (Whisnant) going 0-of-9 from three, no way. But the kids found a way. They've stayed together and there's nothing harder I think as a coach than trying to keep them together when they've lost and we've lost some close games."

ECU made just 21.1 percent behind the arc but Cincinnati associate head coach Larry Davis said his team still had to respect the Pirates' range.

"They can shoot the three so good," Davis said. "Even though the three didn't beat us, it forces you to spread out a little bit, and they did a smart thing. They threw it to the high post, and those guys made shots. They drove the ball in there, and they have a freshman (Tyson) blow by us two or three times and make shots."

The Pirates were behind 46-39 as a crowd of 4,574 cheered the comeback and a CBS Sports Network television audience looked on as well.

A jumper by Tyson brought ECU within 46-41 and Whisnant registered on a tip-in. Marshall Guilmette had a free throw before a layup by Whisnant tied the score at 46 with 1:47 to go.

The Pirates took the lead at 48-46 on a layup by Tyson with 1:02 remaining. White made two big free throws with nine seconds left.

Antonio Robinson rebounded a missed three by the Bearcats with three seconds showing. Robinson didn't score but had four assists and five steals.

Tyson and White each had five rebounds for ECU. Guilmette netted seven points. Scoring six points each were Michel Nzege, Whisnant and Paris Roberts-Campbell.

Octavius Ellis led Cincinnati with 14 points and 14 rebounds.

ECU made 13 of its 28 field goal attempts in the second half for 46.4 percent. The Bearcats made just seven of 24 (29.2 percent) from the floor after leading 23-18 at the half.

The Bearcats joined a list of former NCAA Tournament champions to lose at ECU that includes Louisville, Marquette, N.C. State and Texas-El Paso.

The Pirates travel to 2014 NCAA champion Connecticut for a 7 p.m. game on Wednesday (ESPNU).

Post-game Audio: Lebo & players...

PAGE UPDATED 11/12/15 12:29 AM.

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