Transfers pace Pirates

By Al Myatt
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All rights reserved.

GREENVILLE — Florida State transfer Terry Whisnant made four of seven attempts from behind the 3-point line and scored 16 points to lead East Carolina to a 92-51 nonconference basketball win over Virginia-Lynchburg at Williams Arena in Minges Coliseum on Thursday night.

Another transfer, Michel-Ofik Nzege, a native of Switzerland who arrived via Winston-Salem State, supplied 12 points and 13 rebounds as the Pirates improved to 2-1.

ECU got contributions from freshmen as well. B.J. Tyson had 14 points and eight rebounds. Lance Tejada added 10 points. Sophomore Caleb White scored 12 points.

The Pirates took control with an early 17-2 run.

ECU finished 37 of 70 on its field goal attempts for 52.9 percent and made six of 17 behind the arc for 35.3 percent. The Pirates sank just 12 of 25 free throws for 48 percent.

Antonio Robinson finished with 11 assists.

Kanu Aja had eight points and six rebounds in 12 minutes. Michael Zangari, coming off an injury, saw his first action of the season, contributing five points and eight rebounds in 11 minutes.

Fifteen of 16 players on the East Carolina roster have seen time this season. Veteran Paris Roberts-Campbell has been out of the mix with an ailment.

ECU had a 59-30 command in rebounding in winning its 23rd straight contest against a non-Division I opponent.

The Dragons got 14 points from Hakeem Anthony but made just 19 of 67 shots from the field for 28.4 percent.

A crowd of 3,966 turned out for the Pirates' third consecutive home game to start the 2014-15 season.

Next up for ECU is a matchup with Green Bay in Estero, FL, on Monday at noon. The game is ECU's opener in a three-day event hosted by Florida Gulf Coast, which is coached by former Pirate skipper Joe Dooley.

PAGE UPDATED 11/21/14 03:17 AM.

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