The ECU men’s basketball team got a much-needed win on the road Wednesday, beating UTSA, 82-81.
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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
San Antonio, Texas – Jordan Riley scored a game-high 27 points and tied his career-high with six steals and Demitri Gardner hit the game-winning throws in the final seconds as East Carolina defeated UTSA, 82-81, on Wednesday night at the Convocation Center.
Gardner added 13 points while Corey Caulker scored 12 points and Giovanni Emejuru added 11 points for the Pirates (10-18, 5-10 American).
Jamir Simpson led UTSA (5-23, 1-15 American) with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
After UTSA opened the game with a three-pointer, the Pirates countered with an 8-0 run to go in front 8-3 on Caulker’s triple at the 18:06 mark of the first half. The Roadrunners would hang around in the early stages of the first half but ECU maintained its lead at 17-14 with 11:05 left in the half.
UTSA hit five shots in a row and made its fourth three of the half to go back in front 26-23 with just under eight minutes to go. Gardner snapped UTSA’s run with a mid-range jumper but the Roadrunners continued to shoot at a blistering pace, hitting on 62 percent of their shots as ECU went into the break down 43-34.
ECU got back in the game with an 11-0 run to tie the game at 45-45 but UTSA snapped the run with a corner three-pointer at the 16:36 mark of the second half. The Pirates took their first lead since the 9:02 mark of the first half on a steal and score by Isaiah Mbeng that put ECU in front 55-53.
The teams went back and forth until UTSA gained a little separation with a 70-64 lead at the 6:45 mark of the second half but the Pirates continued to battle, tying the game at 75-75 on Emejuru’s dunk with 3:56 remaining.
Simpson sank two free throws with seven seconds left to put UTSA up 81-78 but Caulker hit one of two free throws with the miss leading to an offensive rebound and three free throws from Gardner. Gardner calmly sank all three to put ECU ahead as UTSA’s last second shot was wide.
Up Next
East Carolina hosts Memphis for Senior Day on Sunday at 2 p.m. on ESPN+.