ECU Squanders Halftime Lead Against Rice

Sunday, November 24

Nassau, Bahamas

5:00 PM

East Carolina University

2-4

Rice

5-3

East Carolina

Rice Owls

Photo by: Rob Goldberg

November 24, 2019 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

NASSAU, Bahamas – Junior guard Tyrie Jackson scored a game-high 20 points, but East Carolina let a five-point halftime slip away and fell to former Conference USA rival Rice, 77-69, at the Islands of the Bahamas Showcase on Sunday.

The Pirates (2-5) led 32-27 at halftime, but only hit 14 of 36 attempts after halftime while the Owls (6-3) shot 57.1 percent from the field, made four three and converted 14 of 20 free throw attempts.

With the game tied at 49-all, Drew Peterson scored five consecutive points to put Rice ahead to stay with 11:41 to play.

The Owls' lead reached double figures with 4:41 remaining, but the Pirates continued to fight and pulled within six with 3:28 to play. However, Rice scored five unanswered points to push its lead to 11 with 1:38.

Peterson totaled 16 points, six rebounds and four assists to lead Rice. Ako Adams had 15 points for the Owls, who earned their fourth straight victory on the road. Robert Martin added 14 points and seven rebounds, while Chris Mullins scored 11.

Jayden Gardner and Brandon Suggs added 18 and 12 points, respectively.

Gardner was called for a Flagrant 2 foul with 5:35 to play and ejected from the game.

ECU out-rebounded the Owls by eight, 45-37, scored 24 second chance points on 20 offensive rebounds and limited them to just 44 percent from the field.

Unfortunately, the Pirates only shot 36 percent from the field themselves and were just 1 of 20 outside the arc, with their lone 3-pointer coming from Logan Curtis with 11 seconds remaining.