E. Carolina tops Ohio; St. Francis, Fordham win

Vinatavious Cooper rushed for a career-best 198 yards, setting a Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl record and leading East Carolina to a 37-20 victory over Ohio on Monday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The Pirates (10-3) grabbed the lead for good on the first of Cooper’s two TD runs in the fourth quarter, a 31-yard burst with just under 10 minutes left.

East Carolina’s Shane Carden threw for 273 yards and one TD and also scored on a pass reception. Cam Worthy caught an early 5-yard scoring pass from Carden, and then took a lateral from the junior QB and threw 14 yards back to Carden for a fourthquarter TD that made it 31-20.

Tyler Tettleton and Derrius Vick threw scoring passes for Ohio (7-6), which overcame an early two-TD deficit to lead 20-17 before Cooper took over.

TERRIERS, FORDHAM WIN

Jalen Cannon scored 18 points, including 12 free throws, as host St. Francis of Brooklyn beat NJIT, 77-65. Aleksandar Isailovic added 13 points for the Terriers (8-5); NJIT (6-8) got 18 points and 11 rebounds from Terrence Smith.

Jon Severe scored 23 points, nine in the final 1:45, as host Fordham (7-4) scored 54 points in the second half to beat Loyola of Chicago (5-7), 83-69. Severe made all 11 of his free throws, six in the last minute. Visiting Hofstra (3-7) lost to Siena (4-8), 67-59, despite 18 points from Jamall Robinson.

PISTONS STAY HOT ON ROAD

Josh Smith scored 25 points, Brandon Jennings added 21 to go with 13 assists and the Pistons beat the Cavaliers, 115-92, for their seventh win in their last eight road games. The NBA fined Clippers forward Matt Barnes $25,000 for failing to leave the court in a timely manner after he was ejected in the third quarter of Sunday’s OT win over the Timberwolves in L.A. for a flagrant foul against Kevin Love.

DUCKS MAKE IT 9 IN A ROW

Hampus Lindholm scored at 14:24 of the third period as the Ducks rallied past the host Capitals, 3-2, for their ninth straight win in coach Bruce Boudreau’s return to the Verizon Center.