By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

GREENVILLE, N.C., FEB. 16, 2016 – USF dominated on both ends of the floor in a 69-52 win at East Carolina on Tuesday night.

Freshman Jahmal McMurray led the Bulls' offensive charge with a game-high 21 points and four assists. Nehemias Morillo went 7-for-12 from the field and 4-for-8 from long range with 18 points on a night USF shot 47.4 percent (27-for-57).

Jaleel Cousins posted his eighth double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds to help the Bulls control the boards by a 44-30 margin. Bo Zeigler dished out a career-high six assists and blocked four shots as ECU shot just 34 percent (18-for-53).

USF (6-21, 3-11) led the entire second half while shooting 50 percent and finished with 34 points in the paint. The Bulls put the game out of reach with a 12-0 run in the second half while ECU (10-16, 2-11) was shut out for nearly six minutes.

“I'm really, really happy for those kids because they continue to fight and they continue to battle,” head coach Orlando Antigua said. “We keep preaching to them, 'Just keep working. Keep doing the things every day. Let's stick to our strengths and the results will take care of themselves.'”

McMurray and Morillo combined for 23 points to power USF to a 35-30 halftime lead. McMurray started 5-for-8 from the field with 12 points in the freshman's 25th double-digit scoring game of the season.

Morillo knocked down three of USF's first four 3-pointers and went 4-for-5 from the floor in a very efficient first half for the Bulls. USF shot 45 percent (14-for-31) and established an inside game early with 14 points in the paint.

USF ruled the boards by a 24-11 margin in the first half and Cousins helped the Bulls set the tone with eight rebounds. The Bulls started the game with an 18-3 advantage on the glass.

“We needed to try to get the ball inside and we needed to clean up rebounding offensively and defensively. I thought we did a great job of that,” Antigua said.

The Bulls led for 15 minutes of the opening period and stayed in control after the break. McMurray followed up a 3-pointer with a free throw to extend the lead to 51-42 with 10:34 remaining.

USF pulled away by going on a 12-0 run and Cousins' tip-in pumped the lead up to 65-48 with 3:49 to play. Zeigler blocked four shots during ECU's scoreless drought and the Pirates made only one of their final 12 attempts.

“Coach put an emphasis on getting back in transition because they're a good running team. I was just trying to be available,” Zeigler said.

Chris Perry was available for the first time in seven games and the junior forward made an immediate impact with six points and eight rebounds in 21 minutes.

“We're just happy to have him back,” Antigua said.

Perry and the Bulls had plenty of time to bond in what turned out to be a journey to ECU. USF has played five of its past seven games on the road and took an eight-hour bus trip to Greenville after the flight from Philadelphia was cancelled because of weather.

“(On the road) it's just us and we come together and somehow we find ways,” Zeigler said. “It was a good night for us.”

USF looks to build more momentum at home Saturday at 11 a.m. against Memphis. Reserve your seats for the nationally televised ESPNU game at USFBullsTix.com.

The USF men's basketball team is led by Orlando Antigua, who is in his second season as the head coach after spending the previous six season as an assistant to Naismith Hall of Fame coach John Calipari. USF has played the toughest schedule in the American Athletic Conference and one of the toughest schedules in the NCAA. USF has retired three numbers in its 45-year history: Chucky Atkins (12), Charlie Bradley (30) and Radenko Dobras (31). The Bulls have earned three NCAA tournament bids and appeared in the NIT eight times. In the 2011-12 season, USF was one win away from an appearance in the Sweet 16.