GREENVILLE, N.C. — Dave Ragone threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns as No. 19 Louisville clinched at least a share of its second straight Conference USA title with a 39-34 victory over East Carolina on Thursday night.

        The Cardinals (10-1, 6-0 C-USA) spotted East Carolina (6-4, 5-1) a 14-0 lead but rallied with a 19-point third quarter to win their seventh straight and all but lock up a repeat trip to the Liberty Bowl.

        Louisville will win the conference title outright and head to Memphis, Tenn., for the Dec. 31 game with a victory at Texas Christian next Friday.

        The Pirates had been outscored 50-10 in the second half of their last two wins, but it caught up with them this time as the team's four-game winning streak was snapped when Louisville scored 29 straight points.

        East Carolina made it close with two TDs in the final 8:20.

       
       Louisville ....... Ü7 6 19 7—39
       East Carolina ....... 14Ü 7 0 13— 34

        First Quarter
       

        ECU—Henry 5 run (Miller kick), 11:49.

        ECU—Henry 13 run (Miller kick), 11:26.

        LOU—Ghent 17 pass from Ragone (Smith kick), 5:13.

        Second Quarter

        LOU—FG Smith 22, 14:04.

        ECU—Fox 34 run (Miller kick), 10:05.

        LOU—FG Smith 26, 3:45.

        Third Quarter
       

        LOU—Parker 91 kickoff return (pass failed), 14:43.

        LOU—Branch 11 pass from Ragone (pass failed), 5:37.

        LOU—Patterson 8 run (Smith kick), 2:27.

        Fourth Quarter
       

        LOU—Branch 4 pass from Ragone (Smith kick), 11:59.

        ECU—Garrard 1 run (pass failed), 8:20.

        ECU—Alston 4 pass from Garrard (Miller kick), 2:57.

        A—39,775.

        INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
       

        RUSHING—Louisville, Patterson 22-61, Stallings 15-55, Ragone 7-22. ECarolina, Henry 14-79, Brown 5-45, Fox 1-34, Garrard 14-12, Copper 1-(minus 1), team 2-(minus 2).

        PASSING—Louisville, Ragone 22-34-1-292. ECarolina, Garrard 21-33-1-284, Alston 0-1-1-0.

        RECEIVING—Louisville, Branch 10-161, Parker 4-54, Jones 3-33, Patterson 2-18, Ghent 1-17, Russell 1-5, Stallings 1-4. ECarolina, Collier 8-103, Alston 4-106, Powell 2-27, Morris 2-20, Henry 2-4, White 1-12, Rios 1-9, Copper 1-3.

UC's chance to prove point UC's Merrill center of attention Louisville clinches share of C-USA title

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