RJ Felton scored a game-high 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as East Carolina outlasted Coastal Carolina in a defensive slugfest, 63-59, on Saturday afternoon inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.
Jordan Riley added 14 points behind 9-of-14 shooting at the free throw line and Cam Hayes supplied 10 points for the Pirates (2-0) who recorded their third straight 2-0 start to a season, all under Michael Schwartz.
Rasheed Jones led the Chanticleers (1-1) with 20 points.
Both teams got off to a slow start offensively, combining for 7-of-22 shooting through the game’s first seven minutes. The Chants would take their largest lead of the game at the 9:32 mark of the first half, going up 12-7 on a second chance dunk by Noah Amenhauser. The Pirates would answer with a quick 7-0 run capped by one of Felton’s three makes from distance to force a Coastal timeout and give ECU a 14-12 lead with 6:24 to go.
ECU’s defense would tighten even more in the final six minutes of the half as the Pirates held the Chanticleers to 4-of-16 shooting to take a 24-22 lead going into the locker room.
Coastal would regain the lead coming out of the break with a quick 5-0 burst but it would be their last lead of the night as the Pirates responded with six straight points to take the lead for good. ECU would take its largest lead after a C.J. Walker basket made it 40-31 with 10:43 remaining and key scores from Riley and Felton down the stretch would hold the Chanticleers at bay.
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