WRAL Sports Fan

Final Score: Massachusetts 88, East Carolina 81

Amherst, MA (Sports Network) - Chaz Williams led all scorers with 26 points and also dished out 11 assists, as the Massachusetts Minutemen outlasted the East Carolina Pirates, 88-81, in non-league play at the Mullins Center.

Williams was 15-of-16 from the free-throw line and even came up with three steals on defense. Terrell Vinson and Jesse Morgan added 15 points apiece, and Freddie Riley scored 14 off the bench to help lift the Minutemen (7-3) to their fourth straight victory.

For the Pirates (7-3), Maurice Kemp led the way with 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the floor. Robert Sampson finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, while reserve Akeem Richmond scored 11 in the loss.

UMass never trailed in the contest despite shooting just 36.4 percent from the floor in the first half. Still, the Minutemen knocked down six 3-pointers in the period (.316) and added 12 points at the foul line to take a 42-36 halftime lead.

ECU shot a respectable 51.5 percent from the floor over the final 20 minutes, although UMass was able to stretch its lead to as many as 19 with 11:42 to play. The Minutemen made 14-of-15 free throws after halftime.

Despite their solid shooting, the Pirates committed 20 turnovers for the game as UMass enjoyed a key 24-12 edge in points off turnovers.