Pirates Cruise Past UNCP, 93-47
January 02, 2003 | Men's Basketball
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- East Carolina held UNC Pembroke to 13 first-half points and cruised to a 93-47 non-conference win in men's basketball Thursday night at Minges Coliseum.
The Pirates started the game on a 13-0 run in the first 4:30 minutes of the game, with Erroyl Bing scoring eight points during that span. Bing finished with 14 points in only 20 minutes of playing time.
All 11 ECU players that dressed for the game scored at least four points each and saw at least 14 minutes of action.
The Pirates used a smothering defense en route to a 47-13 lead, holding the Braves (0-9) to 5-of 23 (21.7%) shooting in the first 20 minutes.
"We had a team goal defensively going into this game," ECU head coach Bill Herrion said. "We wanted to hold Pembroke under 50 points. Defense dictates how the game is going to go."
With 11 minutes left in the first half, Belton Rivers hit one of his three 3-point shots in the game to put the Pirates up 20. He finished with 10 points. Derrick Wiley also hit a pair of threes in the first half and finished the game 3-of-8 from the field with eight points.
For the Braves, guard Travis Wallace scored 11 of the team's 13 first-half points and finished the game with 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
The second half of the game was much of the same, as the Pirates built their lead to 40 points on a pair of free throws by Gabriel Mikulas with 12:32 left in the game. Mikulas finished the game with eight points and seven rebounds. With 4:55 left, the Pirates extended their lead to 50 on a 15-foot jump shot by Corey Rouse.
"We are going to play this game the same way whether we are up 40 or down 40," Herrion said. "That is how we keep our concentration up."
Moussa Badiane had two blocked shots on the night and brought his season total to 35. East Carolina held UNC Pembroke to just 36 percent shooting for the game and for the second time this year held an opponent to below 50 points.
It was also the second time this season that the Pirates have beaten an opponent by 46 or more points. ECU pounded Radford by 47 points, 89-42, on the road on December 3.
With a 10-2 record, ECU has now posted its best start through 12 games since the beginning of the 1957-58 season. The Pirates have now won 14 consecutive games against non-Division I opponents.
The Pirates will travel to Charlotte on Saturday, January 11 for a Conference USA game against the 49ers.
