East Carolina University
UVA-Wise
ECU Powers Past Virginia-Wise, 91-56
December 31, 2011 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 31, 2011
Post-Game Interviews| Box Score (as a PDF) | East Carolina 91, Virginia-Wise 56 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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From wire and staff reports
GREENVILLE, N.C. --- Maurice Kemp posted his third-straight double-double and Paris Roberts-Campbell scored a career-high 17 points to lead East Carolina to a 91-56 victory over NAIA member Virginia-Wise inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum on Saturday afternoon. It was the Pirates' fifth consecutive win.
Kemp poured in a career-high 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead a trio of Pirates in double figures as Darrius Morrow also added 15 points in the victory.
ECU (9-4) used its height advantage to dominate play on their interior, outscoring the under-manned Cavaliers (3-7) 56-22 in the paint. It also used its superior size to win the rebounding battle by a margin of 28, 55-27.
The Pirates used a decisive 23-8 run over an eight-minute stretch of the first half to seize control of the game. Paul's coast-to-coast layup was the first of nine unanswered points by the Pirates, capped by a 3-pointer from Roberts-Campbell to give them their first double-digit lead of the game, 18-8.
The Cavaliers pulled within four, 18-14, with 12:08 left in the first stanza but didn't get closer as ECU rolled off 14 straight points with eight of those courtesy of Kemp. Petar Torlak also added four points during the spurt. The Pirates led by 24 at the break, 45-21, as Gaines' coast-to-coast bank shot beat the halftime buzzer.
ECU shot 52.8 percent (19-of-36) from the field in the first half and bettered that after halftime, connecting of 65.5 percent (19-of-29) of its shots in the second stanza, finishing the game with a season-high 58.5 shooting clip.
The Pirates pushed their lead out to 30, 59-29, for the first time on a 3-pointer from Roberts-Campbell in the opening five minutes of the second half. He then went on a personal 12-5 run, which included a pair of 3s and dunk, propelling the Pirates to a 68-35 advantage.
Their lead ballooned to 34, 75-41, points on a jumper by Gaines with 6:55 remaining. Darius Smith led the Cavaliers with 17 points, while Travis Berry added 13 and Josh Jordan scored 11.
ECU returns to action Wednesday, Jan. 3 as it opens Conference USA play against Southern Miss. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST in Hattiesburg, Miss.
