CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Interstat) — The Charlotte 49ers defeated the East Carolina Pirates 68-56 in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Saturday at Halton Arena. Charlotte built a 36-25 halftime lead and maintained control throughout the second half before an announced crowd of 3,583. Jordan Riley led all scorers with 20 points for East Carolina. Anton Bonke paced Charlotte with 12 points and nine rebounds, while Dezayne Mingo added 10 points and 10 assists. With the win, Charlotte improved to 14-13 overall. East Carolina fell to 9-18.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Interstat) — The Charlotte 49ers used a dominant first-half performance and a balanced offensive attack to secure a 68-56 victory over the East Carolina Pirates in an American Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Halton Arena. A crowd of 3,583 watched the 49ers improve to 14-13 overall, while East Carolina fell to 9-18. The win completed a regular-season sweep for Charlotte, which also won 73-70 in Greenville on Jan. 18. The most critical phase of the game was its opening segment, where Charlotte established a commanding lead that East Carolina could never fully overcome. The 49ers raced out to an 8-0 lead in the first three minutes, capped by a Ben Bradford 3-pointer, and never trailed. East Carolina’s early struggles were pronounced, missing its first six field goal attempts and committing two turnovers before finally scoring on an Isaiah Mbeng 3-pointer more than three minutes into the game. Charlotte’s first-half execution built a cushion that proved insurmountable. The 49ers shot efficiently in the opening period and consistently answered any modest Pirate runs. A key sequence late in the first half effectively sealed the half’s momentum. With Charlotte leading 30-28, the 49ers closed the period on a 6-0 run in the final 1:37. Spencer Elliott scored on an alley-oop from Dezayne Mingo, Kylan Blackmon converted a steal into a layup and Ethan Butler added another layup just before the buzzer to give Charlotte a 36-25 halftime advantage. The Pirates, led by Jordan Riley’s game-high 20 points, chipped away in the second half, narrowing the gap to 43-38 with 13:47 remaining after a Riley steal and layup. However, Charlotte responded with decisive plays to quell the rally. Anton Bonke scored inside, and after an East Carolina turnover, Jarne Elouna Eyenga hit a 3-pointer to push the lead back to 10 points at 48-38. East Carolina made one final push, closing to within 55-50 after a Jordan Riley layup with 4:24 left. Again, Charlotte had an answer. On the ensuing possession, Damoni Harrison sank a crucial 3-pointer from the wing, assisted by Mingo, to extend the lead to eight. The Pirates would get no closer than seven points the rest of the way as Charlotte made key free throws down the stretch to secure the 12-point win. Bonke, the 7-foot-2 center from Port Vila, Vanuatu, was instrumental for Charlotte with 12 points and nine rebounds in just 21 minutes. Mingo, a guard from Hamilton, Canada, orchestrated the offense with a double-double of 10 points and 10 assists. Bradford added 12 points and seven rebounds, while Elliott contributed eight points, six rebounds and two blocks. For East Carolina, Riley, a guard from Brentwood, New York, played 38 minutes and added five rebounds to his 20 points. Corey Caulker from Sterling, Virginia, scored 16 points, and Giovanni Emejuru of Leicester, England, posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Charlotte’s ball movement and defensive pressure were pivotal, forcing 15 East Carolina turnovers which led to 19 points. The 49ers also outscored the Pirates 36-24 in the paint. East Carolina struggled from the perimeter throughout the contest, a factor that hampered their comeback efforts. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Charlotte entered with a 69.9% probability to win and was a 6.5-point pregame favorite. The total score of 124 points fell under the over/under line of 145.5. East Carolina looks to rebound when it visits Texas-San Antonio on Wednesday. Charlotte continues its homestand, hosting North Texas on Wednesday.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Interstat) — A surging individual performance will clash with a team seeking consistency when East Carolina visits Charlotte in an American Athletic Conference men’s basketball matchup Saturday at Halton Arena. The Pirates (9-17, 4-9 AAC) arrive reeling from a heartbreaking 92-89 double-overtime loss to Wichita State on Wednesday, despite a monumental effort from guard Jordan Riley. The 49ers (13-13, 7-6) look to halt a four-game skid, most recently a 79-74 defeat at Tulsa. All eyes will be on East Carolina’s Riley, who has been on a historic scoring tear. He poured in 40 points in 48 minutes against the Shockers, marking his fifth game with at least 32 points in his last seven outings. Over that stretch, the guard is averaging 28.6 points per game, carrying a heavy offensive load for the struggling Pirates. Charlotte will counter with its own dynamic guard in Dezayne Mingo. He nearly recorded a double-double with 19 points and nine assists in the loss to Tulsa. Mingo has been a key facilitator and scorer for the 49ers, who have shown flashes but struggled with recent defensive lapses, allowing an average of 84.5 points during their losing streak. The teams met just over a month ago, with Charlotte escaping Greenville, N.C., with a 73-70 victory on Jan. 18. The 49ers will aim to complete the regular-season sweep on their home floor, where they are 9-5 this season. East Carolina, 2-9 in true road games, will need more than just Riley’s heroics to reverse that trend and avenge the earlier loss. For Charlotte, finding an answer for Riley is the primary defensive challenge. For East Carolina, developing a consistent secondary scoring option behind its star and improving its road defense will be critical to pulling an upset. Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon in a contest with implications for the AAC tournament seeding.