UCF stages late comeback to upend East Carolina (Feb 18, 2017)

By AP
Published

GREENSVILLE, N.C. (AP) Nick Banyard scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Matt Williams added 15 points, and Central Florida closed on an 11-2 run to cap a 61-58 comeback win over East Carolina on Saturday.

East Carolina led 56-50 with 3:48 remaining, but a jumper and 3-pointer from Williams cut the deficit to one, and A.J. Davis' dunk with 1:38 left gave the Knights (17-10, 8-7 American Athletic) a 57-56 lead. Tacko Fall, a 47 percent free-throw shooter and tallest player in college basketball at 7-foot-6, made 3 of 6 from the stripe in the final 38 seconds, and East Carolina's desperation heave at the buzzer came up short.

In a game that featured nine ties and nine lead changes, UCF led 46-41 midway through the second half until Kentrell Barkley scored all 10 of his points in a 15-4 run to take a 56-50 lead. Michel Nzege had 11 points for East Carolina (12-15, 4-10), and Jeremy Sheppard, Andre Washington and Barkley had 10 apiece.

Williams made 3 of 6 3-pointers, setting the conference record for 3s in a season (98).