Pirates Surge Past Hawks In Second Half
Hampton 78, Maryland Eastern Shore 66
HAMPTON, Va. - Hampton used a strong second half to surge past Maryland Eastern Shore for its second straight win, taking a 78-66 victory at the HU Convocation Center on Monday night in front of a national ESPNU audience.
Junior guard Kwame Morgan led the Pirates with 30 points on a career-best 8-for-14 shooting from 3-point range. Junior guard Christopher Tolson added 11 points, while senior guard Brandon Tunnell added 10 points and a career-high 12 assists.
Junior forward Danny Agbelese pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds and blocked three shots.
Hampton made five of six free throws down the stretch to ice the game. The Hawks (4-17, 1-7 MEAC) went from the 7:55 mark to 1:48 to play without a field goal.
The Pirates (17-5, 7-2 MEAC) shot 47.4 percent (27-for-57) from the floor, including a 15-for-26 (57.7 percent) clip in the second half. Hampton also made nine of 25 3-pointers and 15 of 12 free throws.
Hillary Haley led UMES with 20 points on 7-for-14 shooting to go along with a team-high nine rebounds, while Tyler Hines added 13 points.
For the complete story, visit www.hamptonpirates.com or www.umeshawks.com
SC State Ends Six-Game Drought With 90-75 Victory Over FAMU
South Carolina State 90, Florida A&M 75
ORANGEBURG, SC-South Carolina State broke a six game winless drought, behind the play of junior guard Brandon Riley's game-high 22 points. SC State defeated Florida A&M 90-75 Monday at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center.
SC State had four other players in double-figures with junior forward Presano Bell tossing in 15, while Carrio Bennett added 11 and senior's Tyvon Williams and Westley Telafare both chipping in 10 each. Williams also finished with a game-high 10 assists.
FAMU was led by Amin Stevens and Avery Moore who both finished with 19 points each. Stevens finished with a game-high seven rebounds for the Rattlers.
SC State improved to 6-15 overall, 2-6 in the MEAC, while FAMU falls to 7-14 overall, 2-6 in the conference.
For the complete story, visit www.scsuathletics.com or www.famurattlersports.com
NCCU's Second-Half Rally Falls Short Against Bethune-Cookman
Bethune-Cookman 67, North Carolina Central 64
DURHAM, N.C.- Down by two points with 19 seconds left in the contest, North Carolina Central got the ball in the hands of senior guard C.J. Wilkerson, the Eagles' clutch performer who has averaged 32 points in his last three outings. Driving towards the basket in front of the NCCU bench, the physical defensive pressure by Bethune-Cookman forced Wilkerson to lose his handle on the ball and the visiting Wildcats collected the turnover to secure a 67-64 victory inside McDougald-McLendon Gymnasium on Monday night.
Wilkerson finished with 21 points, 18 of which he tallied after intermission. NCCU junior Landon Clement connected on five of his 10 three-point attempts to finish with a team-best 23 points, but no other Eagle reached double figures in the scoring column. Junior Nick Chasten was the closest with eight points and six rebounds.
Bethune-Cookman (13-9) was led by C.J. Reed, who amassed 23 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals in the victory. Junior forward Garrius Holloman contributed a double-double performance with 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, while Alexander Starling added 16 points and eight boards for the Wildcats, who sit atop the MEAC standings with a 7-1 conference record.
For the complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com or www.nccueaglepride.com
Howard Uses Balanced Scoring to Defeat Delaware State
Howard 70, Delaware State 67
Washington, DC-January 31---Mike Phillips scored a team-high 19 points to lead a balanced attack as all five starters scored in double figures in a 70-67 win over Delaware State in a MEAC game at Burr Gymnasium.
The Bison (4-17 overall, 2-7 in the MEAC) played one of their better games of the season. After the two teams played to a 38-38 tie at the half, Howard came out of the blocks strong to start the second half, reeling off a 25-8 run in the first 11 minutes to open a 63-46 lead. The Bison were operating on all cylinders with freshman center Alphonso Leary and sophomore forward Phillips working the paint area and senior guard Kyle Riley, sophomore guard Anton Dickerson and sophomore forward Dadrian Collins doing their work from the perimeter.
But just as quickly as the Bison were able to build a seemingly comfortable lead, the resilient Hornets (8-12 overall, 4-4 in the MEAC) would claw and scrap their way back into the game. Delaware State's Casey Walker, Jay Threatt and Marques Oliver combined to score 13 of the 14 points during the run. The Bison aided and abetted the Hornets' cause by missing shots and turning the ball over.
Dickerson scored 14, Leary recorded 12 and 8 rebounds, Collins 14 and a career-high 5 assists and Riley with 11 and a career-best 7 assists.
The Hornets were led by Washington, who led all scorers with 20, 12 coming in the first half and Walker and Oliver, who contributed 15 and 14, respectively.
For the complete story, visit www.howard-bison.com or www.dsuhornets.com
O'Quinn, Spartans Win Epic 2 OT Thriller, 110-108 over Coppin State
Norfolk State 110, Coppin State 108 2OT
BALTIMORE-It took a pair of buzzer-beating shots and heroics from a number of different players, but visiting Norfolk State was somehow able to gut out a 110-108 win over Coppin State on Monday night at the Eagles' Physical Education Complex, stretching NSU's win streak to five.
Reigning MEAC Player of the Week Kyle O'Quinn scored the last of his career-high 37 points on two free throws with 4.5 seconds left in the second overtime to break a 108-all tie. Coppin State's Akeem Ellis missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer as the Spartans (7-13, 5-3) escaped.
And escape, they did. NSU trailed by four with 13.2 seconds left in regulation, only to get clutch 3-pointers by Marcos Tamares and Chris McEachin - the latter with 0.2 seconds left - to send the game into OT tied at 83.
The Spartans controlled the first OT throughout, eventually taking a 92-85 lead with 1:10 remaining. But NSU lost its touch from the foul line, missing five of its last eight in the first extra session to leave the door ajar for the Eagles (10-10, 5-3). Michael Harper took advantage, capping a furious Eagle rally with a traditional three-point play with six seconds left on the clock to give CSU a 97-95 edge. He scored 11 of CSU's final 12 points in the first OT.
Then it was NSU senior guard Aleek Pauline's turn to play hero. His driving bucket as the clock expired knotted the score at 97-all and forced a second OT.
There were four ties and five lead-changes in the second overtime alone. An Antonio Williams free throw put the Eagles up 108-105 with 51 seconds left in the second OT, but Spartan freshman Pendarvis Williams buried his third trey of the night to tie the game with 43 seconds remaining.
Harper had 27 points and Ellis 20 to pace the Eagles. Ceslovas Kucinskas added 16, Vince Goldsberry 13 and Tony Gallo 10.
For the complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com or www.coppinstatesports.com
Jackson Lifts Bears To Win Over N.C. A&T, 68-66
Morgan State 68, North Carolina A&T 66
BALTIMORE-DeWayne Jackson scored 18 points, including the game-winning free throws with 15.5 seconds left, as Morgan State edged North Carolina A&T 68-66 Monday night.
The Bears (10-9, 6-2 MEAC) also got a season-high 15 points from Larry Bastfield and 10 apiece from Ameer Ali and Aric Brooks.
Thomas Coleman had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Aggies (9-13, 4-4 MEAC), but also committed the foul that sent Jackson to the line. Austin Witter added 10 points for North Carolina A&T and Nic Simpson, who normally averages 15, was held to nine.
The defending conference champion Bears spotted the Aggies the game's first nine points, but answered with an 11-0 run to lead 20-16. They led 31-26 at halftime, and extended the margin to 12 points on Rodney Stokes' layup with 16:13 left, making it 40-28.
Kevin Thompson, the MEAC's Preseason Player of the Year, was limited by foul trouble and finished the game with four points and five rebounds in just 16 minutes of action.
Six ties followed before Jackson's free throws settled the outcome.
For the complete story, visit www.morganstatebears.com or www.ncataggies.com