Pirates Defeat South Carolina, 64-56

Saturday, December 17

Greenville, S.C.

2:00 P.M.

East Carolina University

8-4,0-0AAC

South Carolina

5-6,0-0SEC

East Carolina

South Carolina

December 17, 2022 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

GREENVILLE, S.C. – RJ Felton scored a game-high 21 points and East Carolina never trailed to defeat South Carolina 64-56 in the Greenville Winter Invitational at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Saturday afternoon.

The win marked the Pirates' first over an SEC team since the 2002-03 season and its first over South Carolina since Dec. 19, 1998.

Javon Small added 12 points and six assists for the Pirates (8-4) and Benjamin Bayela scored nine points and Ezra Ausar chipped in with eight points and four rebounds.

Hayden Brown led the Gamecocks (5-6) with 18 points.

The Pirates raced out to a 12-0 start in the first half, not allowing a basket from the Gamecocks until the 14:33 mark. South Carolina would pull to within seven but ECU would answer with a 13-4 run, capped off by a Small three-pointer. The Pirates would force seven turnovers and hold South Carolina to 27 percent shooting in the first half to take 37-18 lead at the break.

ECU's lead would be cut to 12 early in the second half after the Gamecocks scored eight unanswered and the Pirates went 3:27 without a point. Despite South Carolina cutting the ECU lead to seven with 4:01 left, the Pirates would respond again as Felton scored on back-to-back possessions to stretch the Pirates' lead back to 12. The Pirates would go 4-for-4 in the final minute of the game at the free throw line to hold on and lock up the win.

Up Next
East Carolina wraps up the non-conference portion of its schedule on Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. when the Pirates host High Point.