By Staff
From ECU Sports Information
GREENVILLE -- Saint Louis scored 17 of the game's final 21 points and defeated East Carolina, 58-48, in the Pirates' final game of the 2002-03 season Saturday.
East Carolina finishes its season with an overall record of 12-15 and 3-13 in Conference USA. Saint Louis won its seventh consecutive game and improved to 15-12 on the year and 9-7 in Conference USA.
After trailing by as many as 11 in the first half, ECU rallied to trim its halftime deficit to just six points at 29-23. The Pirates then opened the second half on an 11-4 run to take a one-point lead less then four minutes into the session, 34-33.
The two teams then exchanged the lead seven times over the next nine minutes before Drew Drejai nailed a three from the wing to give the Billikens the lead, 46-44, for good with 6:01 remaining.
Gabriel Mikulas' lay-up and free throw lifted ECU to a 44-41 lead with 8:17 left. That proved to be the Pirates' lone field goal for the next seven-plus minutes. Mikulas then converted a pair of free throws to tie the game at 46-46 with 5:38 left.
The Billikens proceeded to hold the Pirates scoreless over the next 5:07 and went on a 12-2 run to close out the game.
ECU's Derrick Wiley led all scorers with 16 points, while Erroyl Bing added 10 points for the Pirates. Sophomore Moussa Badiane grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds to go along with six points. Senior Travis Holcomb-Faye scored just two points in his final game as a Pirate.
SLU's Marque Perry was held to just 2-of-14 shooting from the field, but was perfect at the free throw line, converting 11-of-11 foul shots to finish with 15 points. Drejai also scored 15 points for the Billikens.
ECU-SLU Postgame Notes
* Gabriel Mikulas tied the ECU career record for free throws made by converting the 320th foul shot of his career. Mikulas was a perfect 7-of-7 from line the charity stripe today.
* Senior Travis Holcomb Faye finished his career as the school's all-time leader in assists with 408 and ranks fifth on the ECU career steals list with 105.
* Sophomore Moussa Badaine grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds. Badiane also blocked two shots to bring his season total to 62, second highest single season total in school history (87, Moussa Badiane-2002). His career total stands at an ECU record 149 blocked shots.
* Juniior Derrick Wiley scored a team-high 16 points and led the Pirates in scoring for a fifth consecutive game. Wiley led the team in scoring 11 times during the year.