Houston Overwhelms ECU With Second Half Surge

Wednesday, February 27

Greenville, NC

7 PM

East Carolina University

10-17, 3-12

Houston

27-1, 14-1

Houston

ECU

Photo by: Karl DeBlaker

February 27, 2019 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Press Confernce

Associated Press

GREENVILLE, N.C. -- Corey Davis Jr. matched his career high with 26 points to help eighth-ranked Houston beat ECU 99-65 in a game that included multiple technical fouls against the Pirates and three ejections during a confusing second-half sequence.

Fabian White Jr. added 16 points for the Cougars (27-1, 14-1 American Athletic Conference), who shot 60 percent. They made 13 of 28 3-pointers, which followed a 16-for-24 effort during last month's 44-point rout in the first meeting.

Seth LeDay had 17 points for the Pirates (10-17, 3-12), who trailed 45-31 by the break and never recovered. Jayden Gardner added 14 and Isaac Fleming scored 13.

The Pirates had trouble slowing down the Cougars in the first half, then saw a double-digit deficit balloon amid all the free throws during the technical-heavy stretch that basically stalled the game around the 17-minute mark.

Things got away from them during an ugly sequence early in the second half filled with technical fouls, all involving ECU. Coach Joe Dooley and sophomore guard Shawn Williams were ejected along with a fan during a stretch that had the home crowd irate with officials -- and some throwing trash toward the court.

There was plenty of confusion with all the whistles -- and afterward, too.

An Associated Press reporter tried to speak with game officials as a pool reporter afterward to clarify what led to the technicals and ejections, but was denied access.

Later, in a call with the AP, league associate commissioner of men's basketball Nate Pomeday said coordinator of men's basketball officiating Mark Whitehead had communicated with the game officials about the sequence of events.

Dooley received a technical foul at the 17:56 mark, followed by Fleming picking up one of his own. Then came another for Dooley, who was ejected for the second technical and stormed out the door nearest the ECU bench.

Later, Williams picked up a flagrant-1 foul for a hard hit on Fabian White Jr. at the rim. Pomeday said the officials then reviewed a replay and determined Williams threw a ball at an opponent immediately afterward, leading to a flagrant-2 call that required the ejection.