HATTIESBURG, Miss. — East Carolina’s men’s basketball team did pretty much everything it wanted against Southern Miss except the one thing Pirate coach Jeff Lebo feared most.

ECU had trouble keeping the Golden Eagles off the offensive glass, and two key offensive boards late in Wednesday’s game helped Southern Miss hold on for a 78-76 victory over the Pirates in the Conference USA opener for both teams.

“They beat us where they beat everybody and that’s on the offensive boards,” Lebo said. “If we would have just rebounded the ball better, we come out with a road win.”

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