Behind a strong effort by Jordan Riley, the ECU men’s basketball team won at Florida Atlantic on Sunday, 76-75. Below is more from ECU Sports Information.
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Photo credit: Jordan Riley (ECU Sports Information)
Boca Raton, Fla. – Jordan Riley scored a game-high 35 points as East Carolina stunned Florida Atlantic, 76-75, on Sunday afternoon at Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena.
Demitri Gardner and Giovanni Emejuru each scored 12 points while Corey Caulker added 11 points and six assists for the Pirates (7-15, 2-7 American) who picked up their first win in Boca Raton.
Isaiah Elohim led Florida Atlantic (14-9, 6-4 American) with 20 points.
Both teams got off to a combined 0-for-7 shooting from the floor until FAU’s Devin Vanterpool broke the lid on the basket with a three two minutes into the game. The Pirates quickly answered with Riley’s jumper and the teams traded baskets going to the first media timeout with the Owls holding an 8-5 lead.
ECU’s scoring drought of 4:38 allowed Florida Atlantic to increase its lead to 21-9 until Riley broke the seal on the basket with a layup with nine minutes to go in the half, sparking a 6-0 Pirate run to cut FAU’s lead to six at the 7:44 mark.
Riley’s scoring barrage continued while ECU’s defense forced turnovers and Caulker’s three gave the Pirates their first lead of the game at 23-21. The Pirates would maintain their lead down the stretch of the half and go into the locker room with a 38-36 lead after three free throws from Riley capped off his 20-point first half.
After the Owls took a four-point lead with just under nine minutes left in the game, the Pirates took their largest lead of the game with a 10-2 to make it 64-58 with 5:22 remaining. Florida Atlantic quickly responded to tie the game as both teams were neck-and-neck with Elohim hitting a triple to put the Owls back in front 68-65 with 3:23 left.
Riley would not let the game get away from the Pirates, sinking a three to beat the clock to tie the game at 68. The Pirates would take the lead with the Owls answering to tie it before Elohim sunk another three in the corner to give FAU a 75-74 lead.
ECU jumped back in front on two clutch free throws from Riley with 14 seconds left and Gardner and Isaiah Mbeng secured key rebounds in the final seconds to help ECU get the win.
Up Next
East Carolina hosts Temple on Saturday at noon on ESPNU.