Pirates Fall At Rice, 70-52

Saturday, February 24

Houston, Texas

2:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

14-13,7-7AAC

Rice

11-16,5-9AAC

East Carolina

Rice

February 24, 2024 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Houston, Texas – RJ Felton scored 15 points, but East Carolina could not overcome a hot-shooting afternoon from Rice as the Pirates fell to the Owls 70-52 on Saturday afternoon at Tudor Fieldhouse.

Jaden Walker added seven points and Brandon Johnson and Ezra Ausar each scored six for the Pirates (14-13, 7-7 AAC) who saw their three-game winning streak snapped.

Travis Evee scored a game-high 34 points on 12-of-19 shooting for the Owls (11-16, 5-9 AAC)

After a slow start offensively, the Pirates would score first in the same fashion they had in their previous three games on a three-pointer and ECU would strike again with a three to take a 6-2 lead going into the first media timeout. Rice would counter with an 8-0 run that would be snapped by a Felton three. The Pirates would force an Owls' timeout at the 3:24 mark of the first half after a 9-0 spurt put ECU ahead 27-21.

The Owls would close out the half strong, scoring the last five points to take a 29-27 lead going into the locker room.

Rice would come out in the second half and make 50 percent of their first 12 shots to take a 47-38 lead, forcing a Pirates' timeout with 11:36 to go in the game. ECU's offense would go cold, making only two of their nine shots in a six-minute span to allow Rice to take 55-43 lead with 7:33 left.

ECU would cut Rice's lead back to single digits after a three from Quentin Diboundje but Rice would go on a 7-0 run to push its lead to 15 and the Owls would cruise down the stretch for their second straight win.

Game Notes

ECU scored its first points of a game on a three-pointer for the fourth straight game.
RJ Felton extended his streak of double-figure scoring games to 19.
The Pirates' streak of forcing opponents into 10 or more turnovers was extended to eight games after Rice's 10 turnovers.

Up Next
East Carolina returns to Minges to host Memphis on Thursday, Feb. 29 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.