UConn Pulls Away From ECU

Sunday, February 3

Hartford, CT

2 PM

East Carolina University

9-12, 2-7

UConn

13-9, 4-5

ECU

UConn

February 03, 2019 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

From wire and staff reports

HARTFORD, Conn. — Josh Carlton had his best night in a Connecticut uniform, scoring 20 points and grabbing 16 rebounds to lead the Huskies to a 76-52 win over ECU Sunday.Christian Vital added 18 points and seven boards for UConn (13-9, 4-5 American Athletic Conference), which out-rebounded ECU 44-25.

K.J. Davis had 13 points to lead ECU (9-12, 2-7), which shot just 33 percent from the floor.

Carlton had his first career double-double by halftime, 12 points and 10 rebounds, helping UConn to a 32-26 lead at the break. The 6-foot-10 sophomore had another basket waived off at the halftime buzzer.

"He dominated the game," ECU Head Coach Joe Dooley said. "He was a little more deliberate and he made some shots when we put him on the free throw line. He also dug out loose balls and turned them into points."

UConn outscored the Pirates 44-26 after intermission.

"For about 30 minutes we were really good, the pace was good," Dooley said. "I thought we played really hard. Back-to-back 3s and we don't get a loose ball; it seems like its a four-minute stretch every game that does us in."

The Huskies held ECU leading scorer Jayden Gardner (18.8 points per game) to just nine points. The freshman's driving 3-point play helped the Pirates to an early 5-1 lead. But that was his only field goal of the first half. UConn's defense, led by Tyler Polley, allowed him just two baskets on 10 shots.

Polley finished with 13 points.

UConn's leading scorer Jalen Adams, who also averages just under 19 points a game, was held scoreless, missing all six of his shots from the floor. He was pulled from the game early in the second half, walking away from Dan Hurley as the coach was talking to him. That led to a more animated exchange that ended with Adams seated for the rest of the game.

The Pirates return home to face Wichita State on Wednesday night.