Pirate Basketball Goes 2-0 With Win Over Ole Miss
November 24, 2002 | Men's Basketball
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GREENVILLE, N.C. -- East Carolina outscored Ole Miss 23-9 from the free throw line, including 10-of-14 during the game's final two minutes, and defeated the Rebels, 65-58, in non-conference action here Sunday. Sophomore Moussa Badiane made 4-of-4 free throws in the final 22 seconds to seal the win for the Pirates.
With the victory, East Carolina improves to 2-0 for a third consecutive season and earned its first-ever win over a Southeastern Conference foe other than South Carolina.
The game was tightly contested throughout as neither team was able to gain more than a seven-point advantage during the first 30 minutes of play. Ole Miss (0-1) took its largest lead of the game early in the first half with a 8-2 spurt that resulted in a six-point lead, 13-7. ECU countered with a 7-0 run of its own to reclaim the lead. The lead changed hands six more times in the final 10 minutes of the half and resulted in a three-point Rebel lead at the break, 27-24.
Less than six minutes into the second half, East Carolina had the lead back. Badiane's layup with 14:29 remaining in the game gave ECU a two-point advantage and a lead it never relinquished. The Rebels never closed within more than two points of the Pirates after that. Junior Gabriel Mikulas' jumper off the glass lifted the Pirates to their largest lead of the night at 55-45 with 2:16 left in regulation.
"This was a great win for us," said Pirate head coach Bill Herrion. "If we aspire to be a postseason tournament team ourselves, we've got to win games like this. I am proud of our kids. Their effort was phenomenal."
Four Pirates scored in double figures, led by a trio of players with 11 points: Erroyl Bing, Derrick Wiley, and Mikulas. Travis Holcomb-Faye also added 10 points.
Ole Miss also had four players in double figures, led by Aaron Harper's 15 points. Derrick Allen and Justin Reed added 11 points each, and David Sanders contributed 10 points.
East Carolina returns to action on Saturday, November 30 against William & Mary. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. at Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.
Postgame Quotes from Coach Bill Herrion
"If we aspire at all here at East Carolina to be a postseason tournament team ourselves, we have got to win games like this."
"I like where this team is going defensively. We have some strong perimeter guys who are physically gifted."
"I think you saw two teams really go after each other for 40 minutes on the defensive end of the floor."
"This is a great win for us over an SEC team that has been to postseason play six straight years, five of the six in the NCAA Tournament."
On Moussa Badiane
"He went and got a couple of defensive rebounds late in the game. That is something he did not do last year. He also stepped up and made some big free throws."
On Derrick Wiley and Belton Rivers
"These guys have things we can't teach. They are quick, athletic; they have instincts and they are tough. They gamble a little bit and get out of position, but they also make plays."
