East Carolina University
Coastal Carolina
ECU Falls to Coastal Carolina
December 28, 2008 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 28, 2008
From wire and staff reports
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- Mario Sisinni scored 15 points, including 13 in the second half, to lead Coastal Carolina to a 63-55 win over East Carolina at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center Sunday.
The loss was the third straight for ECU (8-4), who began the season by winning eight of its first nine games.
"Clearly we were sleepwalking from either Christmas or the butt-kicking we took against Wake Forest in the second half," said Pirate head coach Mack McCarthy. "We did a lot of things that we thought would help us get past that and be ready to play. But obviously, it didn't work."
Pirate sophomore Brock Young led the Pirates with 16 points and eight rebounds. Senior Sam Hinnant added nine points, while sophomore Chad Wynn and Darrius Morrow contributed eight points each.
Hinnant's 3 with 13:48 left until halftime trimmed the Pirates' deficit to three, 13-10. It proved to be the only field goal ECU would make over the next 11 minutes as the Chanticleers built a 15-point lead.
The Chanticleers (5-7) took a 31-17 lead at halftime as East Carolina shot 23.8 percent (5-of-21) from the floor and connected on just 2-of-11 3-pointers in the first half, while committing 11 turnovers.
After Coastal scored the opening basket of the second half, ECU went on a tear, out-scoring the Chants 19-5 to pull within two, 38-36, on another Hinnant 3 with 11:41 remaining.
However, the Pirates could not pull even as Coastal Carolina rebuilt a nine-point advantage over the next five minutes. ECU got within five with 1:02 left, but Coastal Carolina went 8-of-10 from the free throw line in the final 1:22 to preserve the win.
Coastal Carolina hit 15-of-20 free throws after halftime and finished the game 21-of-29 at the charity stripe.
Joseph Harris scored 11 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Coastal Carolina and Anthony Breeze had 11 rebounds.
