Houston finds help in double-overtime

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

GREENVILLE —  After Houston's Rob Gray Jr. scored 31 points before leaving Saturday's American Athletic Conference game at East Carolina with a left ankle injury, the Cougars got 11 points in two overtimes from Wes VanBeck in a 97-93 win.

VanBeck, a sophomore guard, hit a 3-pointer with 3:40 left in the second extra period to put the Cougars ahead to stay at 87-86.

VanBeck didn't play in regulation, which ended with the score tied at 75.

"(VanBeck) had 15 points against South Florida," said Houston coach Kelvin Sampson. "He didn't just jump out of a birthday cake."

VanBeck played AAU for a team coached by former Texas and NBA player T.J. Ford, who recommended him to Sampson.

After Gray had gone six for 11 behind the arc, VanBeck hit all three of his 3-point attempts.

Gray hails from Forest City, NC.

"Gray looked like Akeem Richmond (former record-setting long-range shooter for the Pirates)," said ECU coach Jeff Lebo. "VanBeck hit some daggers."

VanBeck came into the game fresh. Four Pirates logged more than 40 minutes as a two-game winning streak was halted.

"I just tried to find open spots and trust my work," VanBeck said.

Damyeon Johnson, a transfer from Oregon, had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Cougars (15-6, 5-4). Galen Robinson Jr. added 12 points.

B.J. Tyson led five ECU players in double figures with 20 points. Prince Williams scored 19. Caleb White scored 17 points in his most significant action since sustaining a concussion against Tulsa on Jan. 19.

Freshman Kentrell Barkley had 14 points. Mike Zangari contributed 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds as the Pirates led 42-38 on the boards.

Two free throws by Zangari tied the score at 84 with 29 seconds left in the first overtime. Robinson missed a three for the Cougars with four seconds left in the first extra session.

ECU overcame an eight-point deficit in the last 2:33 of regulation. White connected on a tying three on Tyson's assist with 29 seconds remaining as a crowd of 5,212 in Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum roared its approval. Houston turned the ball over with three seconds left. Tyson missed a hurried heave for the Pirates at the buzzer.

Michel Nzege and Charles Foster had five points each for ECU.

The Pirates shared the basketball effectively as White had eight assists. Williams had six and Tyson had five.

There were 14 lead changes as ECU slipped to 10-12 overall and 2-7 in the AAC going into a noon game at Connecticut (14-6, 4-3) on Sunday, Feb. 7.

PAGE UPDATED 01/31/16 04:12 AM.

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