East Carolina University
Houston
Cold Shooting Dooms ECU At Houston
February 13, 2011 | Women's Basketball
Feb. 13, 2011
HOUSTON, Texas - Senior Allison Spivey became the 21st player in East Carolina women's basketball history to score 1,000 career points as the Pirates fell to first-place Houston 77-60 Sunday at Hofheinz Pavilion. ECU falls to 11-13 overall and 5-6 in Conference USA action while the Cougars improve to 20-4 and 11-0.
Junior Ashley Clarke netted a double-double in the game, scoring 11 points while corralling 12 rebounds. Senior Kim Gay also scored in double figures with 11. Additionally, junior Jean Best recorded a game-best four blocked shots.
The Pirates suffered a poor shooting performance, hitting just 18 of their 59 shots for a 30.5-percent mark while Houston was 27-for-69 for 39 percent. The Cougars also ended up with the advantage on the glass, registering 49 rebounds to 41 for East Carolina.
The Pirates were able to limit Houston standout Courtney Taylor to just six points and seven rebounds, but Lesslee Mason stepped up to notch a double-double with 12 points and 11 boards.
ECU missed its first nine shots from the field, allowing Houston to push ahead 6-0 at the 15:34 mark. The Pirates would respond, scoring 10 of the next 13, including two three-point field goals to edge in front 10-9 with 11:29 remaining in the period.
With both teams shooting poorly, it was the Cougars who established a 15-11 advantage when Brittany Mason corralled an offensive rebound and stuck it back with the clock showing 8:44. Two Ashley Clarke free throws made it a 15-13 contest with 7:46 left in the half.
The cold shooting continued for the Pirates while Brittney Scott drained a pair of treys to help Houston to a 23-15 lead at the 3:56 mark. The Cougars were ahead by as much as 12 with time winding down, but Spivey knocked down a three at the buzzer for her 1,000th career point.
ECU managed just eight field goals in the first half on 36 attempts, good for 22 percent. After a slow start, the Cougars ended up with 14 buckets on 39 shots (36 percent). The Pirates ended up with the advantage on the glass, however, with 29 as compared to 27 for the home team.
Seniors Kim Gay and Spivey led the offense with six points in the first 20 minutes while Clarke pulled down a team-best 10 rebounds. East Carolina's post tandem of Jean Best and Chareya Smith were hampered by foul trouble, as they picked up two and three respectively.
Houston raced ahead by 18 to begin the second 20 minutes, hitting four of their first five shots while holding the Pirates without a point. Gay hit a three to make it a 13-point margin minutes later, but the Cougars eventually took their largest lead of the afternoon, 64-41, with 6:56 on the clock.
ECU returns to action Thursday, hosting SMU in its annual Pink Zone game. Tipoff at Minges Coliseum is scheduled for 7 p.m.
