Pirates Lose Heartbreaker to Memphis, 72-70

Saturday, February 17

Greenville, N.C.

2 PM

East Carolina University

14-10,7-6AAC

Memphis

9-15,5-8AAC

Memphis

East Carolina

February 17, 2024 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina women's basketball team lost to the Memphis Tigers, 72-70, on Saturday afternoon in Minges Coliseum. Amiya Joyner posted one of the great performances of her career and Danae McNeal scored 28 points, but it wasn't quite enough as Memphis scored with 9.4 seconds remaining to take the win.

The Pirates (14-10, 7-6 AAC) got off to a strong start in the game thanks to some early and efficient offense from McNeal, who finished the first quarter with eight points to lead all scorers. Joyner contributed six rebounds in the first quarter as it seemed like no one could reach farther or jump higher than the sophomore big.

Karina Gordon knocked down a three-point shot in that first quarter, which made her the sixth freshman in program history to knock down 40 trifectas in a season. Gordon is just 11 threes away from Ariyana Williams' program record of 51 from 2017-18.

ECU took a seven-point lead into the second quarter which they would eventually improved to 10 before Memphis (9-15, 5-8 AAC) went on a 7-0 run to get back into the game. The Tigers were spurred in the spurt by all-everything guard Madison Griggs finally finding the range from downtown and limiting the Pirates offensively. The hosts coughed the ball up 10 times in the first half, three of which came in short succession to allow Memphis back into the game.

Keeping the lead hovering around three, the Pirates settled back in and a McNeal runner at the first half buzzer sent the teams into the break separated by five, 33-28. The graduate guard finished the half with a game-high 15 points while Joyner had already collected 10 rebounds on the glass, fully half of ECU's total boards.

The second half told an eerily similar story, though perhaps to a greater extreme. The Pirates jumped out to a 12-point lead through three quarters thanks in no small part to Joyner's 10 points and five rebounds in the period. Memphis wasn't done, firing off a 12-0 run to open the fourth quarter and forcing seven ECU turnovers before the under-five media to level the game at 55.

The Tigers knocked in a couple of triples and got eight points in the paint during those opening minutes of the fourth as they worked their way back into the game.

The Pirates bounced back to go up by as many as four, but Memphis charged back once again, taking their first lead of the game with 1:56 remaining on a basket by Alasia Smith. The lead changed back again, Morgan Moseley scoring then knocking down a pair of free throws to put ECU up three before Madison Griggs as she has so many times before drilled a corner three to tie the game with 54.1 remaining.

Khia Miller's bucket with 40 seconds remaining led to another Smith bucket and a Memphis block to give themselves the ball, tie game with under 30 seconds remaining. It was fitting after the quarter had been that Smith then scored again, the game-winning basket with 9.4 seconds remaining. Two final chances by ECU were blocked and the game went final. Smith finished the game with 12 points and eight rebounds with seven of her points coming in the fourth quarter alone.

Memphis led for 28 seconds of game time – the Pirates 36:22. Memphis' largest lead was their final one. The Pirates turned the ball over 24 times to Memphis' 12 and allowed 27 points off of them.

McNeal and Joyner had moments of brilliance and role players – like Kimora Jenkins who contributed a season-best four points – showed stretches of productivity, but the Pirates were shorthanded and at the end of the game it showed.

For what it was worth, Joyner did finish with 15 points, 20 rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks. It was her seventh 15-plus rebounding effort, tied for fourth in program history. It was a career high in rebounds and made her just the eighth ECU player to ever post such an effort. It was her fourth career 15/15 or better performance. It was a phenomenal performance for the sophomore, but one that unfortunately becomes a footnote to the final score.

Up Next
The Pirates get to stay at home, hosting South Florida on Wednesday evening for a 6 p.m. ballgame as they look to snap this brief skid.