By
Al Myatt
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BIRMINGHAM, AL —
East Carolina ended a six-game losing streak with a 74-67 Conference USA
basketball win over host Alabama-Birmingham on Saturday afternoon.
Junior guard Paris
Roberts-Campbell played all 40 minutes, leading the way in the Pirates'
first league victory of the season with 21 points, eight rebounds and
five assists.
ECU jumped out to an 8-1
lead in the first three minutes before the Blazers made a run to go
ahead 20-15 on a 3-pointer by C.J. Washington with 9:24 left in the
first half.
Washington had 25 points on
10 of 14 field goal shooting as well as nine rebounds.
The Pirates went on top to
stay as Antonio Robinson made a jumper on an assist from Akeem Richmond
to slide ECU in front, 25-24, with 3:49 left in the first half.
"I'm really proud of the way
we responded offensively at some crucial times," said fourth-year coach
Jeff Lebo.
The Pirates pushed the
margin to 33-27 at the half.
ECU held its biggest lead at
51-35 after Robinson dropped two free throws with 13:23 to go.
UAB (14-7, 3-4 C-USA)
rallied within a point at 63-62 before Richmond sparked the Pirates
again with a three with 3:20 left for a 66-62 lead.
Roberts-Campbell made all
six of his free throws in the final 2:23 to keep the Blazers at bay.
"I'm proud of the team for
not getting down," Roberts-Campbell said. "We just stuck with it and
finally got a win. Everybody is so happy in the locker room."
Freshman Caleb White had 17
points for ECU. Richmond made three of six behind the arc on a 13-point
day.
Michael Zangari had nine
points, Prince Williams added eight and Robinson chipped in with six.
Zangari, Robinson and
Richmond had six rebounds apiece. Robinson also contributed five
assists.
Attendance at the Bartow
Center was announced at 6,013.
Lebo said he told his
players they had accomplished something that Rutgers and North Carolina
had been unable to do this season — win at UAB.
The Blazers were coming off
a 75-66 win at home over Old Dominion on Thursday night.
UAB leads the series with
the Pirates 12-6 but ECU has won five of the last six meetings.
The Pirates improved to
12-10 overall and 1-6 in C-USA going into a 9 p.m. home game Thursday
night against Texas-El Paso.
The Miners hold a 6-2 lead
in the series with ECU,
including a 68-67 squeaker
in Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum last season.
GAME SUMMARY |
--------------------- |
East Carolina 74,
Alabama-Birmingham 67 |
--------------------- |
Date: Saturday,
Feb. 1, 2014
Facility: Bartow Arena
Attendance: 6,013
Records: ECU 12-10 (1-6 C-USA); UAB 14-7 (3-4)
|
--------------------- |
SCORE BY PERIODS |
1 |
2 |
FINAL |
East Carolina |
33 |
41 |
74 |
Alabama-Birmingham |
27 |
40 |
67 |
View full box score and stats on ecupirates.com