Rice University
7-14, 2-4
East Carolina
10-10, 2-5
Owls Hold Off Pirates, 76-70
1/31/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2009
Final Stats
ECU vs. Rice Game Book in PDF Format 
HOUSTON - Rice senior forward Aleks Perka scored a career-high 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Rice defeated East Carolina 76-70 Saturday in Tudor Fieldhouse.
With the win, Rice improved to 7-14 and 2-4 in Conference USA play. The Owls also halted a four-game losing streak with the victory. East Carolina is now 10-10 and 2-5.
Earlier in the week, Perka matched his previous career high with 15 points in a 61-59 loss against Tulane. He made his first seven field goal attempts in that game. Against ECU, Perka was again hot. He nailed eight of his first 10 shots and finished the game 10-of-15 from the field. He also had two assists and a block.
Sparked by a first period segment in which Perka scored on a couple mid-range jumpers and a three-pointer by Cory Pflieger, the Owls stretched an eight-point lead to double figures, 28-13 with 9:46 to play in the half. Rice would extend the lead to as many as 19 points as freshman Emerson Herndon made one of two free throws then later scored on a layup. On the Owls' next possession, Herndon fed Suleiman Braimoh for a bucket. Braimoh was fouled on the play and would make the ensuing free throw to put Rice out in front 34-15 with 7:08 on the clock.
East Carolina would mount a comeback, engineering a 14-0 run to cut the Owls' lead to 34-29 with 3:36 to play in the half. Chad Wynn entered back into the game after Braimoh's three-point play and made his next four shots while James Legan and Brock Young each made a three-pointer during the rally.
Rice led 44-37 at intermission.
The Owls would extend their lead back to as many as 14 points early in the second half. Rodney Foster's three-pointer gave Rice a 54-40 lead with 18 minutes to play.
Wynn, who was 9-for-10 from the field and scored a career-high 21 points, again helped the Pirates whittle the lead back to single figures with another stretch in which he converted four more shots.
East Carolina would cut the Owls' lead to as few as four points, 68-64 with 2:11 to play on a Young three-pointer.
Lawrence Ghoram answered for Rice with a jumper in the paint at the other end. Following a Sam Hinnant missed shot, Foster went to the line for two free throws to stretch the margin to eight. Ghoram's free throws with 34 seconds to play gave Rice a 74-64 lead.
After a three-pointer by Jamar Abrams, ECU forced a Rice turnover on the Rice inbounds and Hinnant hit another trey for the Pirates. But Connor Frizzelle made the first of two free throw attempts with 18 seconds left. Leading 75-70 in the final seconds Trey Stanton blocked Jontae Sherrod's three-point attempt. Stanton would later make one of two free throws to account for the final score.
Rice had four players in double figures.
Ghoram scored 15 points while Frizzelle finished with 12. Foster, who suffered a sprained ankle in Wednesday's game against Tulane and was questionable for Saturday, started and finished with 12 points, five assists and five rebounds in 37 minutes of action.
Stanton grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds to go with five points and two blocks.
Rice shot 46 percent from the field while holding ECU to 39 percent. The Pirates attempted 31 three-pointers, making 11 (35 percent).
Hinnant scored 17 points for ECU while Young added 11.
Rice returns to action next Saturday when the Owls travel across town to take on Houston. ECU is back at home against Southern Miss on Wednesday.
