Pirates' Comeback Effort Comes Up Short vs. Rice, 80-67

Wednesday, January 17

Greenville, N.C.

11 AM

East Carolina University

9-7,2-3AAC

Rice

10-6,4-1AAC

Rice

East Carolina

January 17, 2024 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina women's basketball team fell to the Rice Owls, 80-67, on Wednesday morning in Minges Coliseum. Amiya Joyner flirted with a triple-double and Danae McNeal and Morgan Moseley scored in double-figures, but it was not enough as the Pirates comeback attempt came up short.

The Pirates (9-7, 2-3 AAC) got out of the gates hot in the game, jumping out to an 11-7 lead thanks to some strong transition offense and a Bobbi Smith jumper from behind the arc. Rice (10-6, 4-1 AAC) responded quickly, though, using a 15-2 run, including a pair of triples of their own, to take a 22-13 lead into the first quarter break. Rice scored the final seven points of the period as the Owls were able to take the Pirates out of their offensive rhythm.

Rice kept the heat on in the second quarter, expanding their lead to as many as 16 before the Pirates roared back with a run of their own. At one time in the second quarter, the team had made six-consecutive field goals and were using their defense and speed to get out in transition to get easy buckets. However, Rice got the last five points of the half with a layup and then a Maya Bokunewicz triple at the horn to take a 10-point lead into the break.

It was during the run in that second quarter when Danae McNeal notched her lone steal of the day and the 178^th of her ECU career. That takeaway moved her into a tie for 10^th in program history with Lydia Rountree ('77-81) and Tonya Hargrove ('88-92), both ECU Hall of Famers.

The Owls opened the second half on a 6-0 run – and 11-0 run going back to the first – before the Pirates were able to respond. From there, it was largely a stalemate with the margin bouncing around between 10 and 16 for the remainder of the third quarter with neither team able to find a meaningful edge. By the time the quarter ended, it was a 14-point game with 10 minutes to play and the Pirates looking for a spark.

The Pirates got that spark to open the fourth, going on a 12-3 run to open the period and cut the deficit to just five points. Morgan Moseley scored five points during that stretch and Karina Gordon hit a key triple to match a Rice three ball.

Rice bounced back though, entering the final media timeout of the game, as they forced a lengthy ECU scoring drought and used an 10-0 run of their own, keyed by five Pirate turnovers, to blow the game wide open with under three minutes to play.

The contest was academic from there as Rice cruised to the final whistle with time running out on the Pirates.

Of statistical note for Joyner, her 16 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists put her just about as close as any ECU player has ever come to notching the program's first triple-double.

Up Next
The Pirates are back at home on Saturday for a 2 p.m. tip with the SMU Mustangs. For fans unable to attend the game will be available for streaming on ESPN+.