East Carolina University
2-0
Charlotte
0-2
Nzege, White Lead ECU to 88-74 Win Over Charlotte
November 16, 2015 | Men's Basketball
From staff and wire reports
GREENVILLE, N.C. --- Michel Nzege scored a career-high 21 points while Caleb White added 20 with five assists and five rebounds to help East Carolina beat Charlotte 88-74 Monday night to give coach Jeff Lebo his 300th career victory.
Nzege made 9 of 11 field goals, White hit 6 of 7 as East Carolina (2-0) shot 57 percent (30 of 53) from the field, including 7 of 11 from 3-point range. Prince Williams scored 15 on 6-of-7 shooting and Clarence Williams finished with nine points and 11 rebounds.
"We struggled in the first game, but offensively we were sharp, close to 60 percent from the field and 63 percent from three," Lebo said. "We were very efficient; we didn't turn the ball over, particularly in the second half."
White hit a jumper that gave East Carolina a 25-24 lead with 6:09 left in the first half and never again trailed, stretching their lead to six at halftime, 41-35.
ECU made 16 of 28 field goal attempts in the first half, scoring 24 points in the paint and sinking 6 of 8 free throw attempts. It finished 21 of 28 at the charity stripe, while Charlotte made just 13 trips to the foul line, relying on its 3-point prowess and burying 10 of 26 shots outside the arc.
Williams' layup made it 45-35 fewer than 30 seconds into the second half, but Charlotte (0-2) scored 16 of the next 22 and tied it on a layup by Anthony Vanhook with 14:14 remaining. ECU responded with a 14-2 run and the 49ers wouldn't threaten again.
The Pirates scored nine straight points, with four from Nzege, to take a nine-point lead before Vanhook ended the 49ers' nearly three minute drought. Lance Tejada, Kentrell Barkley and White all made a 3 in succession before junior Williams put the game away with a traditional 3-point play.
The Pirates' lead peaked at 17 with 1:33 to play.
Adrien White led the 49ers with 21 points.
