East Carolina 71, UNC Greensboro 50: Terry Whisnant scored 17 points and the host Pirates shot a blistering 72.7 percent from the field in the first half to win consecutive games for the first time this season.

East Carolina (7-6) hit 16-of-22 shots and recorded 13 assists in the opening half, building a 45-26 advantage. Whisnant made 5-of-8 attempts – going 3-of-4 from 3-point range – and added a career-high six assists, Caleb White scored 14 points and Michel-Ofik Nzege finished with 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting.

Diante Baldwin led the Spartans (4-9) with a career-best 19 points, but Greensboro finished 4-of-24 from 3-point range. Leading scorer Tevon Saddler, averaging 15.4 points entering the game, finished with eight points.

East Carolina scored the game’s first seven points but the Spartans hung around, pulling within 26-20 on Kayel Locke’s jumper with just over six minutes to play. The Pirates pulled away from there, closing the half with a 19-6 spurt sparked by six points from Whisnant and two buckets from Nzege to lead by 19 at intermission.

Whisnant opened the second half with a 3-pointer to push the lead to 48-26, and the Pirates held a 57-30 advantage on B.J. Tyson’s basket with a little more than 14 minutes remaining. Greensboro chipped away at the deficit, drawing within 63-48 on Baldwin’s 3-pointer with 6:21 to play before White scored the next seven points.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Pirates shot 7-of-18 from the field in the second half, finishing the contest at 57.5 percent. … East Carolina enjoyed a big advantage at the free-throw line, finishing 19-of-26 while the Spartans were 4-of-10. … The Pirates finished with 20 assists, the third time this season East Carolina has recorded 20 or more.