Pirates fall at Temple in overtime, 98-94

by | Feb 2, 2025

By ECUPirates.com

PHILADELPHIA – C.J. Walker scored a career-high 33 points but East Carolina was unable to hold off a late-game surge from Temple as the Pirates fell in overtime to the Owls, 98-94, on Saturday afternoon at The Liacouras Center.

RJ Felton added 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Pirates (12-10, 4-5 AAC) who were aiming to win their fourth straight American Athletic Conference game in a row for the first time as a program. Jordan Riley turned in 13 points in his return to Temple.

Jamal Mashburn Jr. led Temple (14-8, 6-3 AAC) with 32 points as the Owls remained unbeaten at home.

The Pirates jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead after back-to-back threes from Cam Hayes and Trevion LaBeaux and ECU forced a quick timeout by the Owls after hitting five of their first eight shots and taking a 12-4 lead. Temple answered ECU’s early offensive onslaught with a 7-2 run to make the score 14-11 going into the second media timeout of the first half as the Pirates only made one of their next eight shots from the floor.

Six straight points from Walker and a steal and score from Yann Farell gave the Pirates a 22-13 lead but the Owls clawed back to make it a six-point game with under three minutes to go. Farell would hit a three at the 2:32 mark of the first half to snap a three-minute scoring drought for ECU and the Pirates would hold a 33-26 lead at the half.

ECU would come out the locker room the same way that they started the game, hitting five of their first eight shots, to take a 46-37 lead with 15:53 left in the game. Riley’s poster dunk put the Pirates ahead by 10 but Temple pulled within five multiple times including at the 11:40 mark of the second half.

The Owls scored six unanswered points and ECU went 2:40 without a point as Temple cut the Pirates’ lead to just one and brought the crowd of 4,017 to their feet. Temple tied the game at 76 with 1:04 left after a three-pointer from Steve Settle III but neither team could hit the go-ahead basket in the final seconds as Felton’s turnaround jumper to win the game went off the back of the rim.

Settle III’s three to start overtime gave the Owls their first lead of the game and Mashburn Jr. would hit another from downtown to put Temple ahead 82-77 with 3:44 left in the extra period. ECU scored 10 points at the free throw line in overtime but Temple shot 12-of-14 at the line as the Owls were able to hold off the Pirates to complete the comeback win.

Game Notes

  • The Pirates’ starting five of Hayes, Felton, Riley, LaBeaux and Walker has been used in 12 of the team’s 22 games.
  • Jordan Riley has recorded a steal in 12 straight games and multiple steals in six straight games.
  • RJ Felton has made a field goal in 84 consecutive contests.
  • Felton has recorded back-to-back double-doubles three different times this season.
  • Trevion LaBeaux scored a season-high nine points.
  • Temple’s 58 percent shooting from the field is the highest the Pirates have allowed their opponent to shoot this season.
  • ECU fell to 5-1 in games in which they score 80 or more points in a game.

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Up Next
East Carolina returns to Minges to host Rice for a midweek contest on Wednesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

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