Pirates Fall at Campbell, 74-68

BUIES CREEK, N.C. --- Lorne Merthie's 3-point basket from the corner with 2:54 remaining to put Campbell ahead to stay as East Carolina's eight-game winning streak over the Camels came to end Tuesday night.

In the first men's basketball game played between the schools at Buies Creek since the 1946-47 season, the Fighting Camels won a seesaw battle that featured nine ties and 12 lead changes, 74-68. Campbell outscored ECU 11-2 in the game's final three minutes to earn its first victory over its eastern North Carolina rival since 1994.

ECU junior Brock Young led all scorers with 19 points, while Jontae Sherrod added 13 points and Darrius Morrow chipped in 12 points. The Pirates out-rebounded their foes for a third straight game, but were unable to overcome 20 miscues.

CU (2-0) scored 19 points off turnovers, while taking better care of the ball than ECU (1-2), committing just 11 turnovers.

Merthie led the Camels with 17 points and Jonathan Rodriquez recorded his second double-double of the year with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Kyle Vejraska dropped in 12 points off the bench.

Campbell essentially won the game at the free throw line by making its final eight foul shots and going 15-of-18 from the charity stripe. The Pirates made 27 trips to the line, knocking down 19 attempts. ECU shot a higher percentage from the field than Campbell, but sank only a trio of 3s compared to seven by its opponent.

The Camels made six of their first 10 shots to take a nine-point, 14-5, less than six minutes into the contest. The Pirates gradually chipped away at the lead and tied the game at 20 on a free throw by freshman Erin Straughn.

Campbell then quickly rebuilt its lead as William Kossangue completed an old-fashion three-point play and Kyle Vejraska hit back-to-back 3s to put the Camels back up by seven. Sherrod then scored five straight points to start a 9-2 run that gave the Pirates the lead back at 31-29.

The two teams traded the lead four times over the final four minutes of the half before Chad Wynn's jumper put the Pirates ahead by one at halftime, 37-36.

The second half began the same that the first ended with the two teams trading baskets. The Camels tied the game three times before Rodriquez gave them lead on a pair of free throws with 7:23 remaining. CU scored six consecutive points at the foul line to extend its lead to three, 63-60, with 4:55 to play.

Campbell, which made just 13 of 37 field goals in the first half (35.1 percent), shot 50 percent in the second (13 of 26).

Young's fade away jumper at the with three minutes left put the Pirates back on top for the final time.

East Carolina returns to the hardwood on Friday against 11th-ranked Tennessee in the opening round of the 10th-Annual U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. EST.