Nov. 29, 2008

Box Score

Complete Box Score in PDF Format

From Associated Press and staff reports

ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Sam Hinnant scored 19 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:07 left, to lift East Carolina to a 63-60 victory over Winthrop at the Winthrop Coliseum Saturday night.

The Pirates (5-1) ended a four-game losing streak to Winthrop and earned their first win over the Eagles since 1988.

Freshman Darrius Morrow added 13 points in the victory, while sophomore Chad Wynn jerked down a career-high 10 rebounds.

After Hinnant scored to put the Pirates ahead, Winthrop (1-5) missed on its ensuing possession and Jontae Sherrod grabbed the defensive rebound with 47 seconds remaining.

Following an ECU timeout Brock Young added a layup with 25 seconds left for a three-point cushion. Cameron Stanley then missed a jumper and Sherrod came up with another defensive rebound with two seconds left.

Sherrod missed the front-end of an 1-and-1 free throw opportunity, but the ball bounced off a Winthrop player and rolled out-of-bounds as time expired.

The Eagles held an 11-point lead, 27-16, midway through the first half before the Pirates closed out the stanza on a 15-5 run to trim their deficit to one at halftime, 32-31.

A pair of 3-point baskets by sophomore Jamar Abrams helped the Pirates build a four-lead to start the second half.

ECU lead by as many as six after intermission, but never trailed by more than three points during the second half, which featured five ties and seven lead changes.

Mantoris Robinson led the Eagles with 14 points, while Stanley and Chris Malcolm each added 10.

The Pirates return to action Wednesday, December 3, against UNC Wilmington. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Trask Coliseum on the UNCW campus. The game will be televised throughout eastern North Carolina on WITN-TV.