Mooney helps Tulane to 3rd straight win, beating E. Carolina

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Darnell Mooney caught six passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns to help Tulane hold off East Carolina 24-18 for its third straight victory on Saturday.

Tulane (5-5, 4-2), which had never posted three consecutive victories in the American Conference, won three in a row for first time since 2013.

Justin McMillan, who passed for 372 yards, threw three touchdown tosses of over 70 yards as Tulane rolled to a 21-10 lead early in the third. McMillan hit Mooney on an 86-yard scoring strike to start the scoring, nailed Terren Encalade on a 73-yarder in the second and connected with Mooney again, this time on a 79-yard touchdown toss early in the third.

The Green Wave still had to hold off East Carolina (2-7, 0-6) as Holton Ahlers nailed Trevon Brown on TD tosses of 80 and 31 yards as the Pirates closed to 21-18 early in the final quarter.

Merek Glover booted a 33-yard field goal to give Tulane a little more breathing room, 24-18, with 7:35 remaining.

Ahlers threw for 360 yards and ran for another 67. Brown caught eight passes for 161 yards.