East Carolina quarterback Shane Carden ran for two touchdowns and threw for a score to overcome three interceptions, leading the Pirates to a 28-18 win over Texas-El Paso on Saturday night.

Carden, who was 28 of 40 for 258 yards, ran for a 6-yard score in the first quarter and threw a 3-yard scoring pass to Justin Hardy that gave the Pirates (3-2, 2-0 Conference USA) their first lead of the game at 14-10 going into halftime.

East Carolina led the rest of the way, as Carden's 8-yard TD trot marked the only score of the third. Vintavious Cooper's 24-yard rushing touchdown put the Pirates up 28-10 with 4:56 to play.

Cooper finished with 151 yards rushing on 23 carries.

The Miners (1-4, 0-1) got their late touchdown on Autrey Golden's 96-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Nathan Jeffery had 134 yards rushing for UTEP.

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The ECU Pirates are back in action tonight at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for the first time since their season opener on September 1st.

The Pirates take on the UTEP Miners in a game that kicked off under the lights at 7:00 p.m.

ECU came into the game with a 2-2 record, 1-0 in Conference USA. UTEP is 1-3. This will be the Miners first conference game of the year.

The two teams last played each other in El Paso, Texas last November where UTEP won 22-17.

WITN will air the game. You can watch it beginning at 7:00 p.m.

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