East Carolina University
5-1
Creighton
3-1
Pirates Suffer First Setback to Creighton, 91-66
November 26, 2015 | Women's Basketball
AUSTIN, Texas - The East Carolina women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season, 91-66, to Creighton in its first game of the Lone Star Showcase Thursday night at the Cedar Park Center.
Jada Payne led the Pirates with 20 points on 9-for-15 shooting along with a team-high three steals, while I'Tiana Taylor scored 15 points and DeVaughn Gray added 12.
Creighton (3-1) raced out on an 8-0 scoring run from the opening tip, making three of its first five shots, including a pair of threes, but the Pirates were able to respond with a quick 7-2 run to cut the deficit to just three after a triple by Csutoras with 5:31 remaining. ECU made just two more shots before the end of the quarter, while the Blue Jays continued their hot shooting to create a 20-11 lead through the first 10 minutes of action.
The game continued its extremely fast pace-of-play from the start of the second quarter, as East Carolina (5-1) fell behind by as many as 15 with 6:55 left in the half, but an 8-2 run highlighted by a pair of layups and two free throws by Taylor brought the Pirates back within eight points, 37-29, with 3:06 to go. Creighton closed the period with an 8-2 run to take a 45-31 lead into the locker rooms at halftime.
The Pirates shot 12-for-31 (.387) overall, 3-for-7 (.429) from beyond the arc and made all four free throw attempts in the first half, while Creighton went 19-for-34 (.559) from the floor, 4-for-7 (.571) at the three-point line and 3-for-4 (.750) at the foul stripe.
The Blue Jays remained focused on working the ball inside from the beginning of the third quarter and connected on shots while also getting to the free throw line, making nine of their 11 attempts in the period. They would outscore ECU, 23-14, in the quarter to take a 68-45 lead into the final 10 minutes.
The Pirates were only able to close within 16 points in the fourth quarter with the score 74-58 after a 7-0 run highlighted by a three-point play by Gray and back-to-back baskets by Payne. Creighton closed out the game with 17-8 run to close out the 25-point victory.
ECU finished the night shooting 24-for-64 (.375), including 6-for-19 (.316) from three-point range, and shot 12-for-16 (.750) at the free throw line. The Blue Jays went 37-for-61 (.607) from the field, 5-for-12 (.417) from deep and 12-for-15 (.800) at the stripe.
Creighton owned a 52-32 scoring advantage in the paint and 28-10 ledger off the bench, while the Pirates held a 19-8 edge in points off turnovers.
East Carolina will play its second game in the Lone Star Showcase against Eastern Washington on Friday, Nov. 27. Opening tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. (ET) and can be watched live on YouTube.
