Pirates Fall To SMU In Overtime Thriller, 80-77

Wednesday, March 6

Dallas, Texas

8:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

14-16,7-10AAC

SMU

20-10,11-6AAC

OT 1

East Carolina

SMU

March 06, 2024 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Dallas, Texas – RJ Felton scored a game-high 28 points but East Carolina fell in overtime to SMU 80-77 on Wednesday evening inside Moody Coliseum.

Brandon Johnson added 13 points and 11 rebounds and Cyr Malonga had a career night with 10 points and nine boards for the Pirates (14-16, 7-10 AAC) who controlled most of the first half and the final minutes of the second half before some late-game heroics from the Mustangs.

Chuck Harris led SMU (20-10, 11-6 AAC) with 16 points.

Felton would get off to a hot start for ECU, scoring the first nine points for the Pirates as both teams would be knotted at 9-9 going into the first media timeout of the game. ECU would hold the Mustangs to 1-of-12 shooting and without a point for 5:05 to take a 15-9 lead at the 10:47 mark of the first half.

The Pirates would go up by as much as 11 before SMU would cut the lead to seven after a couple of Pirate turnovers. ECU would push the margin back to 11 and take a 30-22 lead going into the break after holding the Mustangs to just 22 percent shooting in the first half.

SMU would come out of the locker room making three of their first four shots and holding the Pirates to 1-of-6 from the floor to cut ECU's lead to 34-31 at the under-16 media timeout. The Mustangs would take their first lead of the game at 35-34 after two Phelps free throws. Felton would snap a 10-0 SMU run with a three-point play but the Mustangs would take an eight-point lead after a Chuck Harris three-pointer at the 8:12 mark.

ECU would use an 8-0 run to tie the game at 52 and break a 54-54 tie with a deep Johnson three-pointer and a thunderous Malonga dunk to go ahead 59-54 with 2:57 remaining. The Pirates would hold a 65-62 lead with 19 seconds left but Phelps would nail a game-tying three with five seconds to go to send the game into overtime.

SMU would go ahead by six to start the extra period but the Pirates would pull within three on another deep three from Johnson. The Mustangs would make their free throws down the stretch to hand the Pirates their fourth straight loss.

Game Notes

The starting five of LaCount, Walker, Felton, Johnson and Malonga was the 14^th different starting lineup that the Pirates have utilized and the third different one in as many games.
RJ Felton extended his streak of scoring in double figures to 22 games.
The Mustangs' 21.6 percent shooting from the floor in the first half was a season-best for the Pirates' defense this season.
Brandon Johnson recorded his ninth double-double of the season and 21st of his career with his stat line.
ECU fell to 11-4 this season when leading at the half and 10-3 when shooting better than their opponent.
With the loss, the Pirates fall to 1-1 in overtime games this season.