A missed 3-point attempt by WSSU senior forward Darrell Wonge in the game’s final seconds was the difference maker as the Hampton Pirates escaped the Joel Coliseum with a 64-62 victory. The league-leading Pirates extended their win streak to five with an overall record to 10-6 while the Rams slipped to 7-9.

The Rams held a four-point halftime advantage and rode that cushion deep into the second half before the Pirates tied the contest at 58 with just over three minutes to play.

A layup by sophomore forward Michael Freeman put Hampton up for good with 93 seconds to play as the Rams fell just short of knocking off the Pirates.

Wonge posted 30 points in the loss, the first 3-point scorer by a WSSU player in Division I play, with 11-of-18 shooting from the field. He would be the only Ram to post a double-digit scoring performance as Jamal Durham fell one point shy with nine points and four rebounds.

“I’m proud of the way our kids played,” said Rams head coach Bobby Collins after the game. “We played hard against a very good team and just had some trouble finishing at certain times. If this is any indication of how good we can eventually be, then I am more than pleased. This [Hampton team] is the MEAC’s best team and we played them right down to the buzzer tonight. We are getting there.”

Leading the way for the Pirates was Rashad West, who despite a difficult 3-of-16 shooting performance from the field was able to pace Hampton with 17 points, 11 of which came from the free throw line.

West led four Hampton players in double-digit scoring as the Pirates were held to 37.3 percent shooting by the Rams, who forced 21 turnovers from Hampton, a team averaging only 13 turnovers per game.