East Carolina Pirates Battle Hard but Fall to Blazers' Sharp Shooting at Minges Coliseum
The East Carolina Pirates faced a challenging contest against the Blazers, concluding with a 64-73 defeat. The Pirates now stand with an even record, while the Blazers improved their standing. Despite a strong start in the first quarter leading 17-13, the Pirates could not maintain their momentum as they were outscored in subsequent quarters.
The game was marked by intense competition and several lead changes. Both teams fought valiantly, with the score tied four times throughout the match. The Blazers' offensive efforts were particularly notable in the third quarter where they racked up 29 points, showcasing their shooting efficiency from beyond the arc with a three-point shooting percentage of 45.
On defense, both teams were neck and neck with each recording five steals during play. However, it was East Carolina's defensive presence that stood out as they tallied five blocks over the course of the game compared to just one from their opponents. Despite this effort on defense and dominating inside scoring with 36 points in paint versus UAB's 24 points in paint, it wasn't enough to secure victory for East Carolina.
The home team also excelled on rebounds grabbing 39 compared to UAB's total of 35 rebounds; however, this advantage did not translate into additional second-chance points as both teams scored seven each from such opportunities. The Pirates showed determination on offense but struggled from long range making only three out of seventeen attempts which translated into an eighteen percent success rate for three-pointers.
East Carolina's assist-to-turnover ratio stood at 0.85 due to eleven assists against thirteen turnovers while UAB managed a higher ratio at 1.53 thanks to twenty-three assists against fifteen turnovers which contributed significantly to their win by creating more scoring opportunities.
As fans look forward to future games, attention turns towards East Carolina Pirates' next challenge away from home against Tulane Green Wave at Devlin Fieldhouse in New Orleans on January 13th at 2:00 PM Central Time (3:00 PM Eastern Time). Supporters can catch all action live as it unfolds on game day.