Defense Leads The Way In Win Over N.C. A&T

Friday, December 28

Greenville, NC

7 PM

East Carolina University

4-9

North Carolina A&T

7-5

North Carolina A&T

ECU

Photo by: Rob Goldberg

December 28, 2018 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Press Conference Photo Gallery

GREENVILLE, N.C. --- Jayden Gardner scored 27 points to go along with 13 rebounds and four assists to lead ECU to a 77-57 win over visiting North Carolina A&T inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum Friday night.

Gardner, who scored 18 second half points, finished 9-of-14 from the field and 9-of-12 at the free throw line to record his fifth double-double of the season. Shawn Williams drained 6-of-11 from deep on his way to 18 points with a pair of blocks for ECU (7-5). Seth LeDay and Isaac Fleming added 13 points each, while Fleming also handed out a season-high seven assists.

After yielding the opening field goal, ECU scored 12 unanswered points in a span of 2:12 to dart out to a double digit lead with Fleming scoring the first seven points of the spurt. The Pirates maintained an eight-point the remainder of the half and settled for an 11-point cushion at intermission, 38-27.

The first basket of the second half belonged to the Aggies as well, but that was the final time ECU held less than a 10-point lead the remainder of the game. Williams' sixth 3-pointer of the night put the Pirates up by 18 with 10:21 to play before consecutive made free throws by Gardner gave his team a 21-point lead, 69-48, with 6:18 to play.

"We had great energy tonight and I think that was a direct reflection of the way we practiced the last couple of days," ECU Head Coach Joe Dooley said. "I think it was noticeable tonight the way the ball moved and we looked a little bit more fluid offensively."

Milik Ganz had 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting for N.C. A&T (4-9). The rest of the Aggies made just 14 of 44 from the field.

N.C. A&T entered the game shooting 47.1 percent from the field, but the Pirates held it to just 38.2 percent overall and 22.7 percent from outside the arc. The Aggies ranked 30^th in NCAA Division I with a 34.4 percent 3-point shooting percentage entering the game.

"I think the best part that got us going definitely came from the defensive end," Dooley said. "We guarded very well. They were only 31 percent in the first half, and they are an efficient offensive team. I thought that gave us some confidence. We got some stops early that we needed to get."

The Pirates forced 14 turnovers, but it was on the glass where they seized control of the game, out-rebounding the Aggies by 16, 43-27, and scoring 20 second chance points.

ECU returns to action Wednesday, Jan. 2, as it opens American Athletic Conference play in Dallas against SMU. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. EST at Moody Coliseum.