Pirates Use Huge Second Half to Down Maryland Eastern Shore

HAMPTON, Va. - The Hampton University men's basketball team shot an impressive 60 percent (18-for-30) from the floor in the second half on its way to an 82-62 win over Maryland Eastern Shore Wednesday night at the HU Convocation Center.

Hampton (9-16, 5-7 MEAC) snapped a two-game losing streak in a big way to win its sixth game at home this season.

Senior guard Darrion Pellum led the Pirates with a team- and game-high 33 points, while making 11 of 21 shots, while senior guard Christopher Tolson added 13 points, six rebounds and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line.

Pellum has three 30-point games this season, and five for his career.

Senior forward Danny Agbelese added 10 points, seven rebounds and four blocks.

The Pirates opened the game on an 11-2 run before the Hawks cut the lead to 11-4 when Tyler Hines make a layup at the 16:10 mark in the first half. Hampton then increased its lead to 14 points off an 11-4 run sparked by a deep 3-pointer by Pellum at the 15:15 mark.

Hines once again stopped the run with a layup in the paint.

UMES used an 8-4 run to cut the lead to six points; the Hawks would not go away and got back to within one point at 34-33 after a free throw from Ronald Spencer with 3:10 to play in the first half.

Read the complete story at HamptonPirates.com.  

Tate Helps Hornets Top NSU in Overtime, 73-63

NORFOLK, Va. - Tahj Tate scored a game-high 25 points, including the tying put-back that sent the game into overtime, as visiting Delaware State won its eighth straight game, 73-63, over Norfolk State on Wednesday night at Echols Hall.

The Spartans (18-9, 10-3 MEAC) led 59-57 after Quasim Pugh hit 1-of-2 from the line with 13 seconds left in regulation. DSU's Tyshawn Bell missed a potential winning 3-pointer at the other end, but the shot rimmed out. Tate swooped in and grabbed the offensive board, laying it back in off the glass in the same motion to knot the score at 59 with 1.3 seconds left.

The Hornets (12-11, 9-3) took the lead for good on their first possession of overtime on a 3-pointer by Casey Walker, and the deflated Spartans couldn't recover. NSU missed seven of its eight shots in the extra session, getting only a desperation Kyle O'Quinn 3-pointer with 26 seconds left. By that time, the Hornets had built a nine-point lead and they sealed it at the foul line, hitting 7-of-10 to earn their fifth straight win over NSU.

Neither team led by more than six points in regulation in a game that was played largely at DSU's slower-paced tempo. NSU took a 19-18 lead into the break after a Rob Johnson jumper with one second left in the first half. The teams combined to shoot just 15-of-51 in the opening half.

Click here to read more at NSUSpartans.com