Pirates Win Overtime Thriller Over UAB, 88-87

Tuesday, December 30

Greenville, NC

6:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

9-5,1-0American

UAB

7-6,0-1American

OT 1

UAB

East Carolina

December 30, 2025 | Women's Basketball

Box Score Postgame Notes

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Senior forward Keanna Rembert banked in a three-point shot with 2.5 seconds remaining to cap a thrilling victory for the East Carolina women's basketball team over UAB, 88-87 in overtime on Tuesday night.

Freshman forward Zaniah Zellous started the game, her first career start, in place of the injured Anzhané Hutton.

UAB (7-6, 0-1 American) made eight of their first 10 attempts from the field in the game as they were able to build a small lead in the opening minutes. The Pirates (9-5, 1-0 American) stayed in the game with a pair of early three-point makes as the game went into the first media timeout even at eight apiece, but it was a 9-2 run by the Blazers from that point that pushed them in front. After some back-and-forth play, Sofia Munoz beat the first-quarter buzzer with a long three of her own to give the visitors an eight-point lead at 24-16.

The Blazers are a terrific shooting team which entered the game ranked first in the conference in both field goal and three-point percentage and second in the league in free throw percentage.

In the second, the score started to swing back and forth a bit with UAB going up by 12 early before ECU managed to get back within six. The Blazers continued their hot shooting while the Pirates continued to struggle, comparatively, to score the ball. The team missed their final five, and six of their final seven shots of the second quarter. Rembert was a bright spot with her eight points and four rebounds in the first half. The halftime score was 43-33.

The Pirates have not won a game in 2025-26 when shooting a lower percentage from the field than their opponent and shot nearly 40 percent than the Blazers in the first half, 65.4 to 27.9.

ECU started the second half on a 6-0 run to get within four. In so doing, the Pirates drew a UAB timeout at the 8:33 mark of the third quarter. The push did not stop there with a Kennedy Fauntleroy fast break layup making it a one-possession game at 45-43 at the 7:28 mark before Savannah Brooks converted an and-one basket to give the Pirates their first lead since it was 6-4 at the 8:07 mark in the first quarter.

ECU went up by 10 points at the 3:16 mark of the third on a three-point make in transition by Taylor Barner, capping a 9-0 (13-2) run. During the course of the team's run into the lead, the Pirates made nine of 10 field goals and six straight at one time. Simultaneously, UAB suffered a streak of just one of seven shooting.

Freshman forward Mildred Dibua banked in a jump shot in the waning seconds of the third quarter to give the Pirates an 11-point lead, 65-54. ECU won the third quarter 32-11.

The Pirates went on to start the fourth quarter with four straight points to lead by 15 points just under two minutes into the period. UAB responded with a 6-0 run of their own, drawing a timeout with 6:14 left to play. Out of the pause, ECU ran an exquisite offensive set which resulted in an open three-point look for Barner from the corner, which she swished.

The run was not over for UAB though, with a 13-2 run over the next three-plus minutes cutting the margin down to one, 74-73, with just under two to play and setting up an exciting final few possessions.

The Pirates were the first to answer the call with a Rembert score before UAB punched back with a corner three from Cali Smallwood to tie the game with just 65 seconds remaining. Rembert responded again with a bucket for the lead with 38.6 remaining and the scoreboard showing 78-76. After UAB scored to tie the game, and both teams missed their final chances, the game went to OT.

UAB scored the first six points of overtime before ECU finally got a basket with a Savannah Brooks three. After a pair of missed free throws by Monae' Duffy, Barner hit another three to make it a one-point game with just under 30 seconds remaining.

After Duffy split a pair, the Pirates came down court with one final chance. Who else? It was Rembert who rose to the occasion, banking in a three with 2.5 ticks left. UAB's heave fell short and the game came to a sweet end in Minges.

As well as she played in the first half, Rembert was even better in the second half as she put up season highs with 27 points and 11 rebounds. Her 27 points were also a career high, besting her previous benchmark of 22 while at Charlotte. The big filled in a more prominent role in the game and excelled, demonstrating her skills in the paint while remaining a threat to score from the outside and playing solid defense on the other end.

Up Next
The Pirates remain at home to host Memphis at 2 p.m. on Saturday.