By Staff
ECU Sports Information
GREENVILLE — Freshmen Gabe Blair and John Fields each registered a double-double to lead East Carolina to a 68-50 win over Division II foe Chowan Saturday night, ending a seven-game losing streak.
Fields finished with a game-high and career-high 14 points, while also grabbing a career-best 11 rebounds for his first career double-double. Blair notched his second double-double of the season by dropping in 10 points and garnering 14 rebounds.
Four of the Pirates’ five starters scored double figures as the backcourt combination of juniors Darrell Jenkins and Jeremy Ingram combined for 23 points. Jenkins reached double figures for the 10th time this year with 13 points, while Ingram added 10.
Jaleel Nelson led the Hawks with 12 points, while Trayvon Lathan and Lando Morrison added 11 points each.
Holding a 12-10 lead five minutes into the first half, ECU (5-8) went on a 15-6 run to take an 11-point lead, 27-16, with 6:50 left before halftime capped by a one of three Ingram 3-point baskets.
ECU led by nine at the break, 35-26, as Fields put back a Pirate miss just before the horn sounded.
Chowan (5-9) cut ECU’s lead to six in the opening minutes of the second half before the Pirates put together an 11-2 spurt to take a 15-point lead, 48-33, on Fields’ fourth dunk of the night.
The Pirates lead eventually swelled to 21 with six minutes to play.
The Pirates played unselfishly throughout the game and had six players with multiple assists, led by Jenkins’ game-high seven. The Pirates were credited with 22 assists on 25 made field goals.
The victory concludes non-conference play for the Pirates, who open Conference USA play Wednesday night at Tulsa. The game is scheduled for an 8:05 p.m. tip-off.
EAST CAROLINA 68, CHOWAN 50
CHOWAN (5-9)
Artis 2-8 0-0 4, Kenon 0-3 0-0 0, Lathan 4-10 3-8 11, Nelson 3-10 3-4 12, Morrisson 5-7 1-1 11, Carter 0-1 0-0 0, Scott 0-1 0-0 0, Poole 3-5 0-0 6, M.Williams 2-8 0-0 4, Hambrick 0-4 2-2 2. Totals 19-57 9-15 50.
EAST CAROLINA (5-8)
Fields 6-9 2-5 14, Blair 5-12 0-0 10, Captain 2-4 2-2 7, Ingram 3-6 1-2 10, Jenkins 5-9 2-4 13, Dillard 0-2 2-2 2, Farmer 3-8 0-0 8, Hinnant 0-1 0-0 0, Gagnon 0-1 1-2 1, Sargent 1-1 0-0 3, Evans 0-0 0-2 0. Totals 25-53 10-19 68.
Halftime—East Carolina 35-26. 3-Point Goals—Chowan 3-15 (Nelson 3-7, Artis 0-1, Lathan 0-1, Carter 0-1, Kenon 0-2, M.Williams 0-3), East Carolina 8-18 (Ingram 3-6, Farmer 2-5, Sargent 1-1, Jenkins 1-2, Captain 1-3, Hinnant 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Chowan 32 (Artis, Hambrick, Lathan 6), East Carolina 40 (Blair 14). Assists—Chowan 8 (Artis, Lathan, Poole 2), East Carolina 22 (Jenkins 7). Total Fouls—Chowan 14, East Carolina 12. A—4,661. . A—4,661.