RJ Felton scored 19 points but East Carolina could not come up with a defensive stop in the final seconds as the Pirates fell 84-79 to Gardner-Webb on Saturday afternoon at Williams Arena in Minges Coliseum.
Jordan Riley and Cam Hayes added 18 points for the Pirates (8-5) who have dropped four of their last five games. Yann Farell scored 11 and Jayshayne Woodard recorded five points and three steals off the bench.
Darryl Simmons II led Gardner-Webb (5-8) with a game-high 29 points.
ECU scored first on a jumper from Felton but Gardner-Webb made five of their first nine shots from the floor, racing out to a 13-6 lead at the 14:28 mark of the first half. The Runnin’ Bulldogs would hit four consecutive shots to extend the lead to 21-11 as ECU went cold only hitting one of their six shots.
Jordan Riley catches another body 😱 pic.twitter.com/3ZwMSdyCQJ
— East Carolina Men’s Basketball (@ecubasketball) December 21, 2024
The Pirates would claw back into the game and catch fire in the latter stages of the first half making three of their last five three pointers of the half to take a 37-35 lead at the half.
.@TheCamHayes gets the and-one to drop and we’re all tied up in Minges #1ECU pic.twitter.com/7Hq9r4hEOj
— East Carolina Men’s Basketball (@ecubasketball) December 21, 2024
Gardner-Webb scored on the opening possession of the second half to knot the score at 37-37 as the first 10 minutes of the second half featured 10 lead changes with neither team being able to gain any separation. After a three-point play from Hayes tied the game at 66, a quick 6-0 run from Gardner-Webb pushed the Runnin’ Bulldogs lead to six, forcing a timeout from the Pirates.
.@TheCamHayes gets the and-one to drop and we’re all tied up in Minges #1ECU pic.twitter.com/7Hq9r4hEOj
— East Carolina Men’s Basketball (@ecubasketball) December 21, 2024
ECU turned up the pressure, forcing back-to-back turnovers from Gardner-Webb to cut the lead to one but the Pirates were unable to come up with a loose ball and a stop in the final seconds and missed the game-tying three as Gardner-Webb held on for the road victory.
Game Notes
- RJ Felton passed Bill Otte on the ECU All-Time Scoring List in the first half, moving to ninth all-time.
- Felton started in his 60th straight game dating back to the 2022-23 season.
- Saturday was the first time the Pirates have lost at home with a halftime lead this season.
- ECU is now 1-5 this season when they are outrebounded.
- Simmons II’s 29 points are the most by an opposing player against the Pirates this year.
- After failing to record 10 or more assists in consecutive games, the Pirates have tallied 10 or more assists in their last three games.
Following the holiday break, East Carolina begins American Athletic Conference play at South Florida on New Year’s Eve at 3 p.m. on ESPN+.
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