East Carolina University
Marshall
Morrow Leads ECU Rally Over Marshall
January 22, 2011 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 22, 2011
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From wire and staff reports
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. --- Darrius Morrow completed a three-point play with five seconds left and East Carolina rallied to beat Marshall 82-81 Saturday night.
The Thundering Herd had no answer for Morrow, who made 11 of 17 shots from the field, except to send him to the free-throw line, where he was 11 of 21. Twenty-one of Morrow's career-high 33 points came in the second half.
The Pirates (11-8, 3-2 Conference USA) trailed by 15 points in the first half and by 12 at the intermission. Morrow scored nine points during a 15-4 run that allowed East Carolina to pull within one, at 54-53, with 13:11 to play.
However, Dago Pena didn't allow the Pirates to take the lead, not yet. Pena made three consecutive 3-point baskets that sparked an 11-1 outburst capped by a dunk from Tirrell Baines pushing the Herd's lead back to double figures, 65-54, with just under 10 minutes remaining.
With 5:30 to play, Marshall (13-6, 1-3) held a 10-point lead, 75-65.
A 3 from Jontae Sherrod, two free throws by Morrow and back-to-back baskets by Robert Sampson brought the Pirates within four with 2:19 left on the clock.
Baines momentarily dimmed the hopes of a comeback sinking a 3-pointer to give Marshall a seven-point cushion, 81-74, with 1:45 to play. Those were the final points the Herd scored as ECU finished the contest on an 8-0 run. The Herd committed a pair of turnovers and missed a pair of free throws over that span.
Morrow got open for a dunk on the ensuing possession then Baines turned the ball over and Jamar Abrams sank a 3-pointer from the wing in front to the ECU bench to make it a two-point game, 81-79, with 1:19 left.
After the teams traded turnovers, the Pirates sent DeAndre Kane to the foul line where he missed two free throws that set the stage for the dramatic finish.
Sherrod missed a 3-pointer with nine seconds to play, but Morrow grabbed the rebound, scored and was fouled with five seconds left. When the Herd sent Morrow to the line for the final time, he won the game.
East Carolina outscored Marshall 19-9 in the final six minutes, going 6-of-9 from the field and 5-for-5 at the free throw line. The Herd made 3-of-6 shots during that span, shot just 2-of-5 from the foul line and committed four turnovers.
Sherrod recorded 19 points for the Pirates while Brock Young had 16 as only five players scored for ECU. Abrams and Sampson added seven each.
Baines led the Herd with 21 points, tying his season-high. He was an efficient 7-of-9 from the floor while putting up an identical 7-9 performance from the free throw line.
Pena finished with 17 points, tying his season-high. He was 5-6 from three-point range. Kane finished with 15 while Pitts scored ten.
The Herd scored the first seven points of the game and led the entire game until Morrow made his final free throw with five seconds to play. Baines and Nigel Spikes opened the game with buckets before a Kane trey capped off the stretch. Marshall hit nine of its first ten shots. The advantage reached 15, 39-24, with 4:47 left in the first half before holding at 12, 50-38 at the break.
ECU shot a slightly higher percentage that Marshall, .551-.549, while the Herd won the rebounding battle by a 32-28 margin.
ECU begins a two-game homestand Wednesday as it take on Southern Miss at 7 p.m. before welcoming Houston to Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum on Saturday for a 6 o'clock start.
