GREENVILLE, N.C. – RJ Felton scored a season-high 30 points but East Carolina fell at home to North Texas, 69-60, on Tuesday evening inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.
C.J. Walker added 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting for the Pirates (9-9, 1-4 AAC) who only shot 4-for-10 at the free throw line on the night compared to the Mean Green’s 76 percent (19-of-25).
Atin Wright led North Texas (12-4, 3-1 AAC) with 22 points on 6-of-11 shooting from behind the arc.
The Pirates forced a Mean Green timeout with a 7-0 run at the 11:16 mark of the first half, turning an early 9-5 deficit into a 12-9 lead by forcing four turnovers from North Texas.
Wright hit two threes to power an 8-0 run to put UNT back in front but Felton answered with back-to-back threes to give the Pirates to lead back with 4:30 to go in the half. ECU closed the half making their last six shots to go into the locker room ahead 33-27.
🏴☠️🏀 Time for NO QUARTER in Minges, Pirates lead 50-48 pic.twitter.com/28J57l3PzP
— Pirate Radio ☠️ (@PR927FM) January 15, 2025
The Mean Green scored the first five points of the second half to pull within a point but Felton would hit one of his blank threes to temporarily stop UNT’s run. North Texas would retake the lead with 8:30 to go in the game on a pair of free throws and UNT extended its lead to 57-50 with a 9-0 run, forcing an ECU timeout at the 5:52 mark of the second half.
🏴☠️🏀 ECU STARTING 5 vs North Texas
RJ Felton
Jordan Riley
Jayshayne Woodard
Trevion LaBeaux
CJ Walker pic.twitter.com/f83uiSJISC— Pirate Radio ☠️ (@PR927FM) January 15, 2025
Felton snapped a four-minute scoreless drought for the Pirates with another three-pointer to make the score 60-53 but the Pirates could not get any closer down the stretch as the Mean Green recorded their fourth straight win over the Pirates.
🏴☠️🏀 Pirates prep for the Mean Green of North Texas pic.twitter.com/a5kGOgVvf4
— Pirate Radio ☠️ (@PR927FM) January 15, 2025
Game Notes
- Jordan Riley has recorded a steal in eight straight games.
- The Pirates’ starting five of Woodard, Felton, Riley, LaBeaux and Walker was ECU’s fifth different starting five of the season.
- ECU has forced its opponent into 10 or more turnovers for 13 straight games.
- ECU is 1-5 when making fewer free throws than their opponent.
- ECU is 1-6 when losing the rebound battle on the season after being outrebounded 34-25 by the Mean Green.
- RJ Felton moved into eighth place all-time in scoring at ECU, passing Jayden Gardner. Felton now has 1,482 career points and is three points away from tying Anton Gill (1,485 career points) at No. 7.
- Felton’s 30-point performance was the third of his career.
East Carolina hits the road for its next two contests starting with a visit to Wichita State on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
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