East Carolina University
4-3
Central Connecticut
0-6
East Carolina Tops Central Connecticut State, 74-59
November 30, 2014 | Men's Basketball
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From wire and staff reports
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Michel-Ofik Nzege did not miss, scoring 18 points to lead East Carolina to a 74-59 victory over Central Connecticut State on Sunday.
Nzege was 9 of 9 from the floor, and scored 12 points in the first half as East Carolina (4-3) built a 44-32 halftime lead.
"It's a good win for our team and I thought we did a lot of good things out there today,"ECU Head Coach Jeff Lebo said. "Both teams came out in the first eight minutes and didn't miss very many shots. Both teams really offensively challenged in a lot of ways up to this point but didn't look like that the first eight minutes."
Both teams started out fast as the Pirates made their first six field goals and nine of their first 10. Central Connecticut (0-6) was equally as hot, making nine of its first 11 shots with Faronte Drakeford giving the Blue Devils a 21-15 lead at the 12-mark. East Carolina countered with a 9-2 spurt to take a 24-23 lead, only to have Central Connecticut retake the lead less than a minute later.
Trailing 27-24, ECU scored 14 unanswered points to take a 38-27 lead with 6:24 to play. Tejada scored eight points during the run, nailing back-to-back 3s.
An alley-oop dunk from Anotnio Robinson to B.J. Tyson brought the crowd to its feet as the Pirates' turned a three-point deficit into a 13-point lead in just over six minutes.
East Carolina pushed its lead to 20, 54-34, in the first four minutes of the second half as it made its first five shots, all inside the paint.
Brandon Peel scored to pull Central Connecticut State (0-6) within 55-44 with 11:20 to play, but the Blue Devils would not get closer.
Lance Tejada scored 14 points, including four 3-pointers, and B.J. Tyson added 14 for the Pirates, who shot 31 of 52 from the field for 59.6 percent.
""It was good to see Lance make some shots. He's really worked hard at it and he's been frustrated that the ball wasn't going in," Lebo explained. "He's a young player and hopefully he'll come out of that and be consistent for us."
Peel, who finished with 18 points, made a pair of free throws to give Central Connecticut State its last lead, 27-24 with 9:52 to play in the first half.
Khalen Cumberlander scored 19 points and dished out five assists for the Blue Devils, who have yet to play at home.
