East Carolina University
11-6 (2-4AAC)
Tulsa
7-9 (2-3AAC)
East Carolina Tops Tulsa, 77-68
January 15, 2015 | Women's Basketball
TULSA, Okla. - Four players reached double-figure scoring, as the East Carolina women's basketball team picked up its second-straight American Athletic Conference road win, 77-68, over Tulsa on Wednesday night at the Reynolds Center.
Jada Payne led all scorers with 19 points on 6-for-10 shooting, including 4-for-6 from three-point range, while Shae Nelson added 13 points and a team-high three steals. DeVaughn Gray chipped in 11 points, Jasmine Phillips contributed 10 points and six rebounds and I'Tiana Taylor grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.
East Carolina (11-6, 2-4 AAC) fought through some early mistakes that led to a handful of turnovers, but turned up its defensive pressure to keep the game close. With the game tied, 7-7, just over six minutes in, the Pirates pulled ahead by five after a jumper by Abria Trice and Payne's first three of the night with 12:44 on the clock.
The two sides fought through a back-and-forth battle at both ends of the floor, exchanging baskets and defensive stops that led to six ties through the first 20 minutes of action. Leading 29-27 with 3:07 to go, ECU jumped out onto a 13-3 scoring run over the next two minutes, as a pair of threes by Gray sandwiched another by Nelson, before each player knocked down a field goal of their own to open up the largest lead of the half, 42-30.
Tulsa (7-9, 2-3 AAC) made a pair of free throws to cut its deficit to 10 as both teams went to the locker rooms for halftime.
East Carolina shot an impressive 16-for-28 (.571) from the field, 7-for-15 (.467) beyond the three-point line and a perfect 3-for-3 at the free throw line in the first half, while Tulsa shot 12-for-23 (.522) from the floor, 2-for-4 (.500) from deep and 6-for-9 (.667) at the foul line.
Payne had the hot hand to open the second half, as she made her first two attempts of the period - a pair of threes - to create what would be the the Pirates' largest lead of the game, 48-34, with 17:49 left in the game.
The Golden Hurricane was able to counter in a big way, as it broke out with an 8-0 run over the next 56 seconds to come within six of ECU, but the Pirates were able to stop and contain the short scoring binge and keep a lead in the six-to-nine-point range through the 12:28 mark.
East Carolina's lead began to dwindle, as Tulsa came within four points at the 11:28. 9:11 and 8:43 marks, but ECU persistently reached the foul line and was able to increase its advantage back to double digits, leading 69-59 with 4:53 remaining.
The home team knocked down a pair of jumpers on back-to-back possessions to come within six of the Pirates with 3:42 left on the clock, but a 7-0 run sparked by nearly flawless free throw shooting put the game out of reach, 76-63, with under a minute to go. Tulsa made a three and a pair of free throws to arrive at its nine-point defeat.
The Pirates shot 23-for-48 (.479) overall, 9-for-20 (.450) from beyond the arc and 22-for-27 (.815) from the free throw line, while the Golden Hurricane finished the night 23-for-55 (.418) from the floor, 6-for-16 (.375) from three-point land and 16-for-21 (.762) at the foul stripe.
ECU owned a 34-26 edge in bench points and a 14-2 advantage in second-chance baskets, while Tulsa held a 30-24 lead in points in the paint.
The Golden Hurricane was led by Mariah Turner and Teanna Reid, who each scored 14 points, while Ashley Clark added 10 points, four rebounds and four assists in 26 minutes off the bench.
East Carolina will return home Sunday, Jan. 18 to host Memphis for the second time this season.. Opening tip is scheduled for 2 p.m., at Williams Arena in Minges Coliseum.
