East Carolina University
Tulane
Pirates Fall To Tulane In Regular Season Finale
March 09, 2008 | Men's Basketball
March 8, 2008
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NEW ORLEANS, La. - Donnavan Stith sank two game-winning free throws with 4.4 seconds remaining to lead Tulane to a 77-75 victory over East Carolina in the regular season finale for both teams Saturday night.
With the loss, East Carolina finished in 10th place in Conference USA play, its highest finish in its even-year C-USA membership. The Pirates matched its school record for C-USA wins with five.
ECU (11-18, 5-11 C-USA) will open the 2008 Conference USA Tournament on Wednesday, March 12 at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. The Pirates will take on seventh-seeded Tulsa at 1 p.m. EST.
Senior Darrell Jenkins scored a game-high 30 points, while tying the school-record with eight 3s. ECU finished 13-of-28 from behind the three-point line.The Pirates connected on 23 field goals for the game.
With the game tied at 71 apiece, Eric Vianney four straight free throws to give Tulane a 75-71 lead with just over two minutes to play.
Jenkins brought ECU to within a point at 75-74 with 2:02 remaining in the contest. He then hit one of two free throws to tie the game at 75-75 with 34.4 seconds showing on the game clock.
Following a timeout, Tulane held for the last shot. Stith was fouled on the attempt by John Fields. Stith sank the first throw and East Carolina called a timeout in attempt to ice the senior. Stith then calmly sank the next. ECU's Cory Farmer attempt at the buzzer fell just shy of the basket.
Stith finished with a season-best 17 points and added six rebounds, five assists, and hit 10-of-11 free throws. David Gomez finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds. Junior Robinson Louisme and sophomore Kevin Sims also finished in double figures with 15 and 12 points, respectively.
Junior Sam Hinnant was the only other Pirate to reach double figures with 15 points.
Tulane and East Carolina both shot 46 percent from the field and 80 percent or better from the free-throw line, but the Green Wave held a 33-24 advantage on the boards.
