Gardner's late scoring binge sends E. Carolina past UGRTV
GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Jayden Gardner scored 15 points with six rebounds and East Carolina held off a late push to beat UT-Rio Grande Valley 69-64 on Monday night.
Gardner's layup with 5:13 remaining gave the Pirates (3-2) a 57-46 advantage. With 37 seconds left, Solomon Hainna made a layup and brought UTRGV to within 63-59, but Gardner responded with 3-point play and Isaac Fleming made 3 of 4 foul shots in the final 20 seconds to seal it. Gardner scored 11 points in the last 6½ minutes.
Seth Leday finished with 12 points and Tyler Foster 11 for ECU.
Terry Winn III led the Vaqueros with 16 points, Tyson Smith added 14 and Lesley Varner II, 10.
East Carolina made half its 46 shots and owned a 45-32 rebounding edge. UTRGV (3-2) shot 27.9 percent (19 of 68) from the field.
