Saturday, February 14
Houston, Texas
2:00 p.m.
East Carolina University
9-16,4-8American
85
at
75
Rice
11-15,5-8American
1
2
F
East Carolina
38
47
85
Rice
34
41
75
Pirates Earn Road Win Over Rice, 85-75
February 14, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Houston, Texas – Jordan Riley scored a team-high 22 points and Demitri Gardner added a season-high 21 points as East Carolina defeated Rice, 85-75, at Tudor Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon.
Giovanni Emejuru added 17 points and seven rebounds while Corey Caulker scored 14 points for the Pirates (9-16, 4-8 American) who won their third road conference game of the season.
Trae Broadnax scored a game-high 27 points for Rice (11-15, 5-8 American).
Rice jumped out to an early 8-2 lead before the Pirates settled in with back-to-back baskets from Riley and Gardner to make the score 10-7 in favor of Rice at the first media timeout.
ECU took the lead at the 13:45 mark on a dunk from Emejuru as both teams traded the lead over the next minute before the Pirates went on a 6-0 run to take a 20-15 edge with 10 minutes remaining. The Pirates' lead would grow to as much as eight multiple times before Rice closed the gap to two but ECU went into the locker room with a 38-34 lead.
The Pirates' offense continued to be efficient to start the second half as ECU took a 47-40 lead on Gardner's three to beat the buzzer with 16:50 remaining. ECU's lead ballooned to 14 after a 9-0 run and the Pirates forced an Owls' timeout after Riley's third three of the game made it 61-45 with 11:56 left.
Rice put a rally together with a 6-0 run to bring the Owls within nine points and force a Pirate timeout with 7:46 left. The Owls closed within four at the 3:56 mark after another three from Howell but the Pirates had enough answers to leave with the win.
Up Next
East Carolina faces Wichita State inside Minges on Wednesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
Giovanni Emejuru added 17 points and seven rebounds while Corey Caulker scored 14 points for the Pirates (9-16, 4-8 American) who won their third road conference game of the season.
Trae Broadnax scored a game-high 27 points for Rice (11-15, 5-8 American).
Rice jumped out to an early 8-2 lead before the Pirates settled in with back-to-back baskets from Riley and Gardner to make the score 10-7 in favor of Rice at the first media timeout.
ECU took the lead at the 13:45 mark on a dunk from Emejuru as both teams traded the lead over the next minute before the Pirates went on a 6-0 run to take a 20-15 edge with 10 minutes remaining. The Pirates' lead would grow to as much as eight multiple times before Rice closed the gap to two but ECU went into the locker room with a 38-34 lead.
The Pirates' offense continued to be efficient to start the second half as ECU took a 47-40 lead on Gardner's three to beat the buzzer with 16:50 remaining. ECU's lead ballooned to 14 after a 9-0 run and the Pirates forced an Owls' timeout after Riley's third three of the game made it 61-45 with 11:56 left.
Rice put a rally together with a 6-0 run to bring the Owls within nine points and force a Pirate timeout with 7:46 left. The Owls closed within four at the 3:56 mark after another three from Howell but the Pirates had enough answers to leave with the win.
Up Next
East Carolina faces Wichita State inside Minges on Wednesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
Team Stats
ECU
Rice
FG%
.537
.382
3FG%
.471
.265
FT%
.731
.875
RB
34
36
TO
8
9
STL
7
7
Game Leaders
Pts
22
FGM
8
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
21
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
6
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
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