Pirates Downed By Memphis, 69-59

Saturday, January 7

Memphis, Tenn.

2:00 P.M.

East Carolina University

10-7,1-3AAC

Memphis

12-4,2-1AAC

East Carolina

Memphis

January 07, 2023 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Brandon Johnson scored 15 points and grabbed four rebounds but East Carolina fell 69-59 to Memphis to drop its second straight game on Saturday afternoon.

Javon Small and RJ Felton each scored 10 points for the Pirates (10-7, 1-3 AAC) who were up by as much as 11 points in the first half but ultimately 22 turnovers from the Pirates and a 22-0 run from Memphis in the second half would be too much for the Pirates to overcome.

DeAndre Williams led Memphis (12-4, 2-1 AAC) with 19 points.

The Pirates found themselves down 9-2 early to the Tigers but slowly clawed their way back into the game, holding Memphis to just eight points over the next eight minutes of the first half. A flurry of Pirate threes capped off by a Brandon Johnson three gave ECU a 20-14 advantage with 7:23 left in the first half. ECU would maintain its hot hand on offense to take the lead at half for its sixth straight game at 33-25.

Memphis would make a run to come out of the locker room closing the Pirates' lead to 36-35 with 15:45 remaining. The Tigers would go on take their first lead at 40-36 since the 9:16 mark of the first half, forcing four Pirate turnovers in a two-minute span. ECU would go nearly six minutes without a score until RJ Felton's layup at the 11:10 mark.

ECU would hold Memphis scoreless for a two-minute stretch to pull within eight points at 60-52 with five minutes remaining but the Pirates would get no closer as Memphis would secure its 12th win and remain undefeated at home.

Up Next
East Carolina concludes its two-game road trip on Wednesday, Jan. 11 at Cincinnati on ESPNU at 9 p.m.