East Carolina University
6-7, 0-1AAC
Tulsa
4-8, 1-0AAC
Pirates Drop Overtime Contest at Tulsa, 81-79
December 30, 2015 | Women's Basketball
TULSA, Okla. - The East Carolina women's basketball team climbed its way back from a double-digit deficit, but eventually suffered an 81-79 overtime loss at Tulsa in its American Athletic Conference opener on Wednesday evening at the Reynolds Center.
Jada Payne made a career-high 13 field goals for a season-high 31 points, while I'Tiana Taylor produced her sixth double-double of the season with 14 points and as many rebounds. DeVaughn Gray added 13 points, while Gabrielle Holston chipped in a career-high 10 points and four rebounds off the bench. Alex Frazier handed out a personal-best and game-high four assists on the night.
Tulsa (4-8, 1-0 AAC) jumped out to an early 8-2 lead just under two minutes following the opening tip-off, but went scoreless for more than three minutes after ECU clamped down on defense and jumped ahead, 9-8, at the first media timeout with 4:57 to play. The Golden Hurricane would work its way inside the Pirate defense and reached the free throw line where it shot 11-for-12 in the quarter to take a 25-16 advantage through the first 10 minutes of action.
East Carolina (6-7, 0-1 AAC) fell behind by as many as 13 with the deficit at 30-17 at the 8:06 mark in the second period when the Pirates called their first timeout of the evening. They would climb back within five points, 39-34, with 2:20 left, as Marina Laramie and Payne combined for three-straight three-pointers, but Tulsa took a 44-37 advantage into the locker rooms at halftime.
Both sides shot 14-for-33 (.424) from the field in the first half, while ECU went 5-for-9 (.556) from three-point range and 4-for-8 (.500) at the foul line, while the Golden Hurricane went 4-for-9 (.444) from deep and 12-for-13 (.923) at the stripe.
The Pirates looked refreshed coming out of the intermission, getting into their offense and outscoring Tulsa, 21-16, in the third quarter to cut the deficit to two points heading into fourth quarter, 60-58.
East Carolina continued to push forward and reclaimed the lead for the first time since its 9-8 advantage in the first quarter after a Holston layup with 8:51 remaining in regulation made it 62-60. The Pirates would continue their rally down to the final minutes by pulling ahead by three, 71-68, after a three by Gray with 4:17 to go.
Tulsa used a 6-2 scoring run capped by a layup with 1:26 left to take a one-point lead, before Taylor hit the front end of two free throws with 1:08 on the game clock to tie the game at 74. The Golden Hurricane missed a three-pointer as time expired to send the game to overtime.
Tulsa used a 5-1 run to take a 79-75 lead with just 1:35 to go in the extra period, but Payne and Gray hit consecutive shots on back-to-back possessions to tie draw even one last time at 79 with 46 seconds remaining. An ECU foul resulted in two Golden Hurricane free throws with 17 ticks left on the game clock and East Carolina was unable to respond on its final possession, nor execute free throw attempts, to conclude the two-point loss.
The Pirates finished the night 32-for-70 (.457) from the floor, 7-for-19 (.368) from three and 8-for-18 (.444) at the free throw line, while the Golden Hurricane shot 29-for-72 (.403) overall, 4-for-17 (.235) from downtown and 19-for-25 (.760) at the foul line.
Erika Wakefield led Tulsa with 24 points, while Ashley Clark contributed 20 points and seven rebounds.
East Carolina will return home to host No. 20/17 USF (7-3) on Saturday, Jan. 2. Opening tip is scheduled for 1 p.m., at Williams Arena in Minges Coliseum and the contest will be aired nationally on CBS Sports Network.
