Pirates Fall At UAB, 69-61

Saturday, January 20

Birmingham, Ala.

3:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

9-10,2-4AAC

UAB

12-6,4-1AAC

East Carolina

UAB

January 20, 2024 | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Birmingham, Ala. – Ezra Ausar scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but East Carolina saw its losing streak extended to three as the Pirates fell to UAB 69-61 at Bartow Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Brandon Johnson picked up his seventh double-double of the year for ECU (9-10, 2-4 AAC), who led for most the game but were doomed by a seven-minute stretch without a field goal and a season-high 16 turnovers. Johnson and Ausar's performances marked the third time this season that two Pirates have recorded a double-double in the same game. RJ Felton added 10 points to extend his streak of scoring 10 or more points in a game to 11.

Eric Gaines led UAB (12-6, 4-1 AAC) with a game-high 17 points.

Both teams would get off to a slow start offensively, combining for 1-of-13 shooting and four turnovers in the game's first four minutes, with the Pirates holding a 2-0 lead. ECU would gain some distance after back-to-back threes from Hayes and Johnson, but the Blazers would battle back to tie the game at 19 with seven minutes to go.

The Pirates would take their largest lead of the first half at 35-27 after another Johnson three with 2:30 to go but ECU would miss its last six shots to allow UAB to close the gap to three points going into the half.

ECU would extend its lead to seven in the opening stages of the second half before UAB pulled within a point to make the score 42-41 at the 16:50 mark. The Pirates would hold the Blazers at bay for the majority of the second half until UAB took its first lead of the game on a three-pointer with 6:51 remaining. ECU would make it 58-56 with two minutes to go but UAB would sink a back-breaking three pointer to put the game away.

Up Next
East Carolina concludes its two-game road trip on Wednesday, Jan. 24 against Wichita State at 7:30 ET on ESPN+.