East Carolina University
Houston
Young Sets Career Mark In Loss To Houston
January 16, 2010 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 16, 2010
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GREENVILLE, N.C. --- Aubrey Coleman, the nation's leading scorer, had 25 points to lead Houston to a 74-55 victory over East Carolina inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum Saturday.
A total of four players scored double figures for the Cougars (10-7, 3-1 Conference USA). Kelvin Lewis added 13 points and Zamal Nixon came off the bench to net 10. Maurice McNeil added 11 points and grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds.
ECU redshirt sophomore DaQuan Joyner and freshman Erin Straughn each posted his first career double-double to lead the Pirates (6-12, 0-4). Joyner scored 12 points to go along with a career-high 13 rebounds. Straughn topped double figures for the first time in his career in both categories, scoring 11 and grabbing 12 boards while playing all 40 minutes.
The Cougars opened the game on a 9-0 run, which included consecutive 3s from Sean Coleman and Lewis, before Brock Young sank a pair of free throws more than three minutes into the game. ECU missed its first four shots before Jontae Sherrod's jumper went through the net nearly five minutes into the half.
Both teams began the game shooting very poorly as the Pirates made just one of their first eight attempts, while Houston was only 3-of-11 in the first eight minutes. The Cougars began to heat up over the next eight minutes, making 7-of-14 shots to extend their lead to 13, 28-15. Aubrey Coleman and Lewis nailed back-to-back 3s as part of a 13-6 run.
Young's pass to Jamar Abrams and subsequent 3 with 2:18 left until halftime moved him into sole possession of first-place on the school's all-time assist list and brought the Pirates to within eight, 30-22. It was the final basket of the half by either team.
Young has dished out 416 assists during his career.
Houston finished the half shooting 36.7 percent (11-of-30) while ECU made 33.3 percent of its attempts (8-of-24).
The Cougars' hot shooting carried over from the final 12 minutes of the first half into the second. Houston shot 54.8 percent (17-of-31) after intermission while ECU made 11-of-36 attempts (30.6 percent).
Nixon's steal and coast-to-coast lay-up pushed the Cougars' lead to 15, 45-30, less than seven minutes into the second half. Aubrey Coleman scored six points as part of a 15-8 spurt to begin the second 20 minutes.
Coleman then scored six of the Cougars' next 12 points as they stretched their lead to 23 with less than 10 minutes to go.
Houston's defense forced ECU into 18 turnovers, including 13 Cougar steals, which translated into 21 points.
The Pirates won the battle of the boards, 42-40, and outscored their foe 14-12 on second chance points.
ECU will return to action Saturday, Jan. 23, against Southern Miss. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. EST in Hattiesburg, Miss.
