Pirates Storm Back to Stun Fourth-Seeded UTSA, 55-54, Advance to American Final

Tuesday, March 12

Fort Worth, Texas

7 PM ET

East Carolina University

19-13,9-9AAC

UTSA

17-14,10-8AAC

East Carolina

UTSA

Pirates Storm Back to Stun Fourth-Seeded UTSA, 55-54, Advance to American Final

March 12, 2024 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

FORT WORTH, Texas – The East Carolina women's basketball team erased an 11-point deficit to stun fourth-seeded UTSA and advance to the American Athletic Conference Championship Game, 55-54, on Tuesday night in Dickies Arena. Amiya Joyner led the Pirates with yet another double-double and Khia Miller came up big with 14 points and seven rebounds in the win.

The Pirates (19-13, 9-9 AAC) got off to about as abysmal a start as possible, shooting just 23.5 percent from the field and mustering a mere 16 points in the first half. Things looked bleak when the team went down 11 points seven seconds into the fourth quarter.

But those Pirates never quit. Even when UTSA (17-14, 10-8 AAC) pushed the lead back to nine with under five minutes remaining, the team never gave in – something which has become a calling card over the last two seasons.

Bobbi Smith hit a pull-up jump shot to cut it to seven, then Joyner dropped in a basket to cut it to five with under three minutes remaining. The Pirates kept playing hard defensively and Tatyana Wyche came up with a steal which led to a massive Karina Gordon three-point shot in the right corner – Gordon's second triple of the game.

Another stop for the Pirates led to some back-and-forth and then a Danae McNeal drive to cut it to one with 48 seconds remaining. UTSA called time and was unable to get the ensuing inbound in play. McNeal took advantage and drilled a jumper to put ECU in front. It was the team's first lead since 2:58 remaining in the first quarter.

McNeal finished the game with a massive 11 points, three rebounds and four assists despite struggling to a 4-18 clip from the field.

On the ensuing possession, the Roadrunners turned the ball over, leading to two Gordon swishes from the charity stripe.

UTSA got one final basket before McNeal, one of the greatest foul shooters in ECU history, missed two free throws with 7.2 seconds remaining. It didn't come back to bite the Pirates, though, as UTSA's desperation heave ricocheted off the back board and harmlessly fell to the floor as the buzzer sounded.

Notable Numbers

The Pirates broke the American Athletic Conference Tournament record for team blocks in a single tournament with 25 and counting. The previous record was 22 by three teams, including the Pirates last season.
Tatyana Wyche tied the individual American Athletic Conference Tournament record for blocks in a single tournament now with 10. She is tied with UConn's Breanna Stewart who reached the total twice.
It is the first time since 1990-91 and 1991-92, back in the CAA, that the Pirates have appeared in consecutive conference title games.
Joyner recorded her ninth-consecutive double-double.
Joyner recorded her 300^th rebound of the season and now has 301, moving past her own mark set last year for third in program history in single-season rebounds. She is the only player in ECU history to record 300 rebounds in a season twice.
McNeal moved into 10^th in ECU history in career points with 1,371 in Purple and Gold. She is three points behind Sylvia Bragg in ninth.