Score: ECU 48, VCU 46
Location: Greenville, N.C.
Records: VCU 5-6, ECU 7-4
 
The short story: The Rams led the Pirates 40-32 with 5:49 left in the game before costly turnovers spurred a 16-6 ECU run to close the game.
 
OPENING TIP:

• Mary-Anna Asare led VCU with 14 points and six rebounds while shooting 5-of-8 from the floor and 3-of-4 from 3-point range
• Zoli Khalil 10 points and six rebounds
• Mykel Parham led VCU with a team-high 11 rebounds along with seven points
• Grace Huston had nine points and three assists
• VCU shot 33 percent from the floor while ECU shot 30 percent. The Rams shot 6-of-16 from 3-point range while limiting the Pirates to just 2-of-15 from deep
• ECU outscored VCU 18-2 in points off the bench and 30-16 in points in the paint. The Pirates went 12-of-17 from the free throw line while VCU was 8-of-11
• The Pirates were led by Taliyah Wyche who had nine points and six rebounds

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• VCU and ECU were locked in a defensive battle in the first quarter with the Rams holding an 8-7 lead heading into the second after an Asare 3-pointer
• The Rams used an 8-2 run sparked by a Hutson 3-pointer to take a 16-9 lead with 7:25 left before halftime
• The Pirates, trailing 19-11, answered with a 9-2 run of their own to trim VCU's lead to 21-20 with 3:13 left before halftime. VCU closed the quarter on a 5-0 run to lead 26-20 at the half
• VCU used a 7-0 run to take a 33-24 lead on an Asare 3-pointer with 6:21 left in the third quarter. The Rams led 38-30 heading into the fourth quarter
• With VCU leading 48-40, the Pirates turned VCU over five times as part of a 10-2 run to tie the game at 40-40 with 4:34 left in the game
• The teams traded the lead five times along with four ties in the final 4:35. VCU led 46-45 with 1:07 remaining after a pair of Khalil free throws but the Pirates made 1-of-2 at the line to tie the game 46-46
• VCU was blocked on the ensuing possession and ECU was given a foul with :13 seconds left and Khia Miller made both to give the Pirates a 48-46 lead
• VCU missed a layup on its next possession, got a steal and a 3-point heave at the buzzer missed

 
UP NEXT:
The Rams host LIU on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 1 p.m. at the Stuart C. Siegel Center. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.