East Carolina University
2-2
UNC Wilmington
1-3
UNC Wilmington Rallies Past East Carolina, 64-53
November 20, 2011 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 20, 2011
UNC Wilmington 64, East Carolina 53 
WILMINGTON, N.C. - A halftime lead for East Carolina vanished in the second 20 minutes Sunday as UNC Wilmington posted a 64-53 win over the Pirates at Trask Coliseum. The loss drops ECU's record to 2-2 while the Seahawks won their first game of the campaign and are now 1-3.
The Pirates' top two scorers from their last contest led the way again as junior Shala Hodges and freshman Dana Jones netted nine points each. Junior Britny Edwards added eight points while also picking up a squad-high seven rebounds and tying junior Celeste Stewart for the team lead with three steals. Additionally, in her first start in an ECU uniform, Bryelle Smith distributed three assists.
East Carolina shot 39 percent for the contest, hitting 20 of its 51 attempts while the hosts fired at a 46-percent clip. The Pirates also ended up with the slimmest of advantages on the glass, out-rebounding UNC Wilmington 37-36 and producing 11 offensive boards. ECU did not take care of the ball, turning it over 24 times which led to 19 points for the Seahawks.
It was a nip and tuck affair for much of the first 20 minutes, as a Jones layup gave the Pirates a 12-8 lead at the 14:42 mark. An 11-4 run over the next five minutes allowed UNCW to edge ahead 19-16 and the Seahawks would enjoy a two-point advantage, 27-25, before Hodges and Chareya Smith drained jumpers in the last two minutes to put East Carolina in front by a pair at the break.
It was a balanced scoring effort in the first 20 minutes for the Pirates as Smith, Hodges and Katie Paschal netted five points each. Senior Chareya Smith and Edwards manned the glass and grabbed four rebounds apiece. East Carolina held the upper hand in shooting at 43 percent while also winning the rebounding battle 21-20.
Abria Trice nailed a three-point field goal with just 24 seconds gone in the second half to make it 30-29 in favor of the Seahawks. A Jones jumper at the 14:39 mark kept ECU close as UNCW clung to a 38-37 lead, but the Seahawks would score 12 of the next 15 points to extend that cushion to 10 at 50-40.
Sophomore Katie Paschal dropped in a layup off freshman Tatiana Chapple's assist to cut the Pirates' deficit to 50-42 with 8:51 remaining in the contest, but that was as close as East Carolina would come the rest of the way.
The Pirates kick off a four-game homestand Saturday, Nov. 26, as it hosts the ECU Thanksgiving Tournament. East Carolina will take on Delaware State at 4 before Elon and Robert Morris tip off approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.
