RJ Felton scored 21 points as East Carolina led wire-to-wire in a 64-56 victory over South Carolina on Saturday at Greenville, S.C., in the inaugural Greenville Winter Invitational.
It was the first time since the 2002-03 season that ECU has defeated a team from the Southeastern Conference, and the first time since 1998 that the Pirates have defeated South Carolina.
Felton shot 8 of 13 from the floor and added three assists and three steals for the Pirates (8-4). Javon Small added 12 points, six assists and four rebounds.
Hayden Brown led the Gamecocks (5-6) with 15 points and five rebounds. GG Jackson II and Meechie Johnson each scored 13 points.
ECU jumped out to a 12-0 lead as Small had five points during the early stretch. The Pirates went on a 14-4 run later in the first half to take a 20-point lead.
ECU shot 53.8 percent from the floor in the first half, while the Gamecocks shot just 26.9 percent before the break and committed seven turnovers.
South Carolina trimmed the deficit to 44-37 in the second half with an 18-4 run and got within seven points three more times but never any closer.
ECU flipped 12 South Carolina turnovers into 16 points. ECU also outscored South Carolina 10-0 on fast-break points.
South Carolina did have a 35-28 rebounding advantage and outscored ECU 26-22 in the paint, but the Pirates shot 9-of-22 from 3-point land for a 40.9 percent clip.
The series between the Gamecocks and the Pirates is now even at 6-6. This was the sixth time this season that South Carolina lost to a non-Power 5 opponent.
–Field Level Media