East Carolina University
6-5
Ohio
7-3
Pirates Comeback Falls Short Against Ohio, 64-61
December 19, 2015 | Women's Basketball
WILMINGTON, N.C. -- A late comeback attempt by the East Carolina women's basketball team fell just short as the Pirates suffered a 64-61 loss to Ohio in its final game of the UNCW Christmas Classic on Saturday afternoon at Trask Coliseum.
I'Tiana Taylor put up a team-high 19 points and 17 rebounds for her fourth double-double in the last five games, while Marina Laramie added 11 points and 10 boards for her second double-double of the season, while Jada Payne added 17 points and nine rebounds. The multiple double-doubles by Taylor and Laramie mark the fourth time this season two players have accomplished the feat in the same game.
The game began with an extremely fast pace, as Ohio's (7-3) leading scorer Kiyanna Black hit a trio of three-pointers in the first three minutes of action to open up an 11-6 lead. The Pirates relied on three baskets by Taylor and a pair of jumpers by Laramie to generate the Pirates' first 11 points despite trailing, 15-11, at the first media timeout with 4:14 remaining in the first quarter. The Bobcats knocked down one more triple, but ECU began to run the floor and cut its deficit to just three, 21-18, after 10 minutes of action.
East Carolina (6-5) struggled to find a rhythm on the offensive end in the second quarter, as Ohio cooled from the perimeter but found success working the ball into the paint with nine of its 10 conversions coming on jumpers and layups. The Bobcats created their largest lead of the half, 39-28, on a bucket with 2:23 to play, but a three by DeVaughn Gray on the next possession brought the deficit back to single digits before heading to the halftime locker rooms trailing 43-34.
ECU shot 12-for-33 (.364) from the field, 3-for-9 (.333) from three-point range and 7-for-13 (.538) at the free throw line, while Ohio went 16-for-33 (.485) on the floor, 5-for-17 (.294) from deep and 6-for-11 (.545) at the stripe in the first half.
The Pirates allowed a basket on their first defensive possession of the second half with 9:43 on the clock, but held the Bobcats without a single point for nearly eight minutes until the 1:58 mark and drew within one score, 45-42, after Taylor knocked down a pair of free throws. Ohio grew its lead back to seven, but a jumper by Alexandra Frazier with 15 seconds remaining brought ECU back within five, 51-46, at the end of the third quarter.
East Carolina drew within two, 53-51, after Payne converted her second three-point play of the game with 8:26 left in the fourth quarter, but a 10-3 scoring run by the Bobcats extended their advantage back to nine with just 6:07 to play.
The Pirates countered with a 7-0 run of their own, capped by three free throws by Taylor, to cut the deficit to just a pair once again, 63-61, with 43 seconds to go. ECU got the ball back following a stop and called timeout with 16 ticks to go, when Head Coach Heather Macy used her final timeout.
The ball ended up in Payne's hands, as she hoisted up a jumper from just beyond the painted area and to the left of the basket from approximately eight feet away, but her shot fell off the mark, as Ohio called timeout before ECU could foul. After advancing the ball out of the timeout, Payne stole a pass and raced to the opposite end of the court where she was fouled and headed to the line to shoot two free throws. She missed the first attempt and intentionally missed her second try, but the Bobcats pulled down the rebound, drew a foul and held on for the eventual three-point victory.
The Pirates shot 20-for-60 (.333) overall on the day, 3-for-17 (.176) from three-point land and 18-for-29 (.621) at the free throw line, while the Bobcats finished 22-for-64 (.344) from the field, 7-for-30 (.213) from downtown and 13-for-21 (.619) at the stripe. ECU owned a 53-38 rebounding advantage and outscored the opposition, 30-26, in the paint and 14-5 on second chance baskets. Ohio committed just 11 turnovers and manufactured the same number of steals, while holding an 18-9 lead in point off turnovers and a 10-4 edge in fast break points.
Kiyanna Black led all scorers with 20 points on 7-for-18 shooting to lead the Bobcats, and Quiera Lampkins contributed 16 points and six boards.
East Carolina will close out its non-conference slate on Sunday, Dec. 20 when it heads to Myrtle Beach, S.C., to take on second-ranked South Carolina (10-0) in the Carolinas Challenge. Opening tip is scheduled for 1 p.m., at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.
