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NORFOLK, VA-- ODU red-shirt freshman Dimitri Batten scored a career high 18 points and hauled down a career high nine rebounds along with two clutch free throws inthe final nine seconds of the game to lift the Monarchs (4-3) to a 63-58 victoryover East Carolina (4-2) Tuesday night in front of 7,295 at the Ted Constant Convocation Center.
Three Monarchs scored in double figures tonight. Joining Batten was 6-8 red-shirt junior Nick Wright with 12 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots. 6-9 senior forward Chris Cooper added his fourth double-double of the year with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
The Monarchs led by two, 25-23 at halftime, but ECU rallied to take the lead at 32-30 on two free throws by Corvonn Gaines with 16:47 left. The Pirates led by asmany as six, 42-36 with 12:01 left in the game.
ODU then went on a 15-2 run, tying the game at 44 with 9:11 left on a three-pointerfrom Trian Iliadis, then takng the lead for good on a layup by Chris Cooper. TheMonarchs went up six after a free throw from freshman forward Jason Pimentel tomake it 50-44 with 7:51 left before ECU scored on a layup from Paris Campbell.
ECU cut the lead to two at 55-53 on a trey by Campbell, but ODU's Chris Cooperrebound off a missed shot put the Monarchs back up 57-53 with 2:23 left. After adefensive stop Dimitri Batten then drove the lane and scored to make it 59-53 with1:49 left.
ECU rallied again on a layup by Miguel Paul and after a steal, Austin Stead hithit two free throws to make it 59-57 with 48 seconds remaining.
After an ODU timeout, senior Marquel De Lancey drove the lane and scored to put ODU up 61-57 with 17 seconds left. Paul hit one of two free throws with 11 seconds left, but ODU's Batten hit both of his free throws with nine seconds to go to ice the victory. ODU hit 10 of its last 13 free throws.
The Monarchs shot .423 (22-52) from the floor, while ECU was .333 (19-57). TheMonarchs outrebounded the Pirates, 42-38. Besides Coopers 11 boards, Nick Wrightadded seven and Dimitri Batten had nine.
Trian Iliadis led ODU with a career high tying five assists, while Batten hit seven-of-14 shots fromthe field.
ECU was led by Shamarr Bowden who came off the bench to score 14 points( 12 in the first half). He was four-for-five from three point range. Darrius Marrow had 11 points and Miguel Paul 10 along with a game high seven assists. Austin Steed led ECU with 11 rebounds.
The Monarchs return to action this Saturday afternoon in Boston for a CAA match-upagainst Northeastern. Game time is 1 p.m. in Williams Arena. ODU will play fourstraight road games before returning home on Dec. 22nd against VMI.