GREENVILLE, N.C. – Nicholas Robinson scored a career-high 28 points, but Western Carolina was unable to slow down a hot-shooting East Carolina squad in the first half in a 95-79 loss to the Pirates Sunday afternoon at Minges Coliseum.

East Carolina improves to 3-0 while WCU drops to 1-2.

Robinson's 28-point effort surpasses his previous Catamount career-best of 15 against Bowling Green last Tuesday in his WCU debut and eclipsed 21 points as a member of Valparaiso against Purdue Northwest last season. The Chicago native finished 9-for-16 from the field, 7-for-12 in 3-point attempts and 3-for-3 at the free throw line. His 28 points and seven made 3-pointers match WCU season highs from 2020-21. Robinson also grabbed a team-best nine rebounds.

Marcus Banks tallied a career-best 13 points with Travion McCray (11) and Joe Petrakis (10) also finishing in double figures for the Catamounts.

Tristen Newton paced ECU with 30 points followed by Brandon Suggs with 15 and Tremont Robinson-White with 14. Newton, Suggs, and Brandon  Johnson each grabbed six rebounds.

Consecutive Robinson 3-pointers gave WCU a 6-4 lead at the 17:38 mark before a 13-2 Pirate run put the hosts ahead 17-8 just shy of the 15-minute mark. WCU responded with an 8-0 spurt, pulling within a point at the under-12 media timeout. After a Tyler Harris 3-pointer evened the score at 19, ECU went on a 14-0 run capped by a Suggs 3-pointer to lead 33-14 with just under eight minutes remaining before the half. A Robinson-White jumper with four seconds remaining sent the Pirates into halftime with a 59-33 lead. ECU finished 22-of-32 (68.75 percent) from the field and made 9-of-11 (81.8 percent) 3-point attempts in the opening stanza.

A Vonterius Woolbright jumper opened the second half scoring as a McCray jumper brought WCU within 16, 65-49, at the 15:07 mark. The Pirates answered with a 12-0 run as an RJ Felton dunk gave the hosts a game-high 28-point lead, 77-49, with 12:30 remaining. WCU would get no closer than 13 points the rest of the way.

The Catamounts outrebounded ECU 37-33 but were hurt by 19 turnovers which resulted in 25 Pirate points. WCU finished 26-for-63 (41.1 percent) from the field.

WCU heads to the Lancer Invitational hosted by Longwood next weekend. The Catamounts face UMBC and American at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday before facing the Lancers on Sunday at 4 p.m. Catamount Sports Network audio coverage will be available for Friday and Sunday's games.

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