Pirates Lose Heartbreaker To North Texas, 60-59

Wednesday, January 17

Greenville, N.C.

7:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

9-9,2-3AAC

North Texas

11-5,4-0AAC

North Texas

East Carolina

January 17, 2024 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – RJ Felton scored 16 points including a go-ahead shot with three seconds remaining, but North Texas answered with a last-second layup from Robert Allen on a full court heave to defeat East Carolina 60-59 on Wednesday evening inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.

Cam Hayes tied his season-high with 12 points and Brandon Johnson added 11 points and eight rebounds for the Pirates (9-9, 2-3 AAC).

Jason Edwards scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Mean Green (11-5, 4-0 AAC) in their first-ever game in Minges Coliseum.

The Pirates jumped out to a fast start, led by Hayes and Cyr Malonga, to take an early 8-2 lead and force a Mean Green timeout just three minutes into the game. North Texas would claw back into the game, ending the half on an 11-4 run to go into the locker room ahead 30-26.

ECU would start the second half off in strong fashion as the Pirates went on a 12-2 run to go back ahead 38-35 with 14:19 remaining. Both teams would trade leads going down to final minute as Felton would put ECU ahead 57-56 on a layup with 46 seconds to go. The Mean Green's Rondel Walker would convert on a second chance basket after multiple Pirate blocks at the rim to push North Texas back in front 58-57.

Felton would bank in a mid-range jumper with three seconds to go that looked to give the Pirates the win but Aaron Scott threw a full court pass from out of bounds that found its way to Allen for the game-winning basket in the frantic final minute.

Up Next
East Carolina will look to rebound as it goes on the road to face UAB on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN+.