East Carolina Too Much For Men’s Basketball; Big First Half Lifts Pirates to Record Setting Night in Brothers' Holcomb-Faye Matchup

RADFORD, Va. – East Carolina opened the game with an 11-0 run and held Radford scoreless for the final 7:35 to cruise to a 87-42 victory over Radford University Tuesday night in men’s collegiate basketball action at the Dedmon Center. The victory was the largest margin of victory over a Division I team, while the margin of defeat marked the biggest home loss in RU history. (Box Score)

East Carolina, off to their best start at 4-0 since 1957, placed five players in double-figures led by Gabiel Mikulas and Derrick Willey with 14 apiece. Erroyl Bing registered a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Belton Rivers and Moussa Badiane chipped in with 12 and 10 points respectively.

Whit Holcomb-Faye (Winston-Salem, N.C.) led Radford (2-3) with 13 points, Raymond Arrington added 10. Aaron Gill (New Carrollton, Md.) grabbed six rebounds to pace RU.

The Highlanders fell behind 11-0 in the first 2:57 as the Pirates connected on three, field goals, a pair of free throws and a Bing three-pointer. ECU would build on their advantage pushing it as high as 19 points with 9:08 remaining. A Kyle Zaharias lay-up, with 7:35 remaining would cut the ECU advantage to 17 points, however East Carolina put together a 14-0 run to close the half and enter intermission with a 48-17 lead.

In the second half, the Pirates increased their 31-point cushion to as much as 50 points 71-21 with 10:22 remaining. In building that advantage, ECU held RU scoreless for 7:24 with a 16-0 run. That would be all they would need, as the Highlanders would only be able to pull within 39 (75-36) with 5:06 left and hand the Highlanders their worst loss ever at the Dedmon Center.

The Highlanders look to bounce back Friday night when they travel to Washington, DC, for a 7:00 p.m. tip with American University.