Joyner Fuels Pirates’ Upset of South Florida, 66-57

Saturday, March 1

Tampa, Fla.

7:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

16-13,8-9AAC

South Florida

20-10,13-4AAC

East Carolina

South Fla.

March 01, 2025 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

TAMPA, Fla. – The East Carolina women's basketball team defeated the South Carolina Bulls, 66-57, on Saturday evening in the Yuengling Center. The Pirates were led by Amiya Joyner's 23 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and two blocks.

The victory is the Pirates' first over South Florida since Feb. 15, 2015, and the first in Tampa since Dec. 20, 2009.

The game got off to a sluggish start with the teams shooting a combined 7-25 (28 percent) in the first quarter. During that opening period, the Pirates (16-13, 10-7 AAC) held the Bulls (20-10, 13-4 AAC) at one point to a scoring drought of five minutes and eight seconds. The teams had more turnovers each—seven and eight, respectively—than combined made field goals in the first 10 minutes of the game.

The action heated up in the second quarter with South Florida keying the action on a trio of jumpers by Sammie Puisis, including a pair of threes. The Pirates were able to counter with a pair of Khia Miller shots, including a top-of-the-key three which hit every part of the rim before falling home.

South Florida used a 7-0 run to take their lone lead of the second quarter at the 3:34 mark before halftime, but the Pirates answered and a dime of a pass from Jayla Hearp to Joyner gave the team a three-point lead going into the break. Joyner had some terrific run in the first half as she posted a game-high 11 points in the first 20 minutes of action. The junior was unstoppable throughout the game, dealing with double- and triple-teams as she went 10-14 from the field in what was her 11th career 20-point double-double.

ECU got out of the gates first in the second half with a Devin Hagemann triple to start the third quarter which sparked a 6-2 run, forcing a Bulls timeout just 1:57 into the half. South Florida twice got within one in the third quarter, but the Pirates ended the period on a 12-5 to take an eight-point lead into the final frame.

To open the fourth, the Bulls looked poised to make a signature run with Romi Levy knocking in a three to open the period and cut the margin to five. It hovered around there for a while before a 6-0 run put the lead into double figures at 62-51 with 3:51 remaining.

A play significant to the outcome of the game which may not standout on the score sheet game with just over a minute remaining. The Pirates missed a shot late in the shot clock which came up short and Khia Miller made a remarkable effort to come from in the paint and spear the ball for an offensive rebound, allowing the team to take another 20 seconds off the clock. A Bulls miss on the other end, and it was academic at the foul line from there.

Up Next
The Pirates are at home once more in the regular season on Tuesday at 6 p.m. as they host the conference-leading UTSA Roadrunners.