Box Score

NORFOLK, Va. – The Hampton University men's basketball team struggled from the floor all night en route to a 66-50 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) loss on Saturday to Norfolk State at Echols Hall.

After a strong first half, Norfolk State ran out to a 12-4 run in the beginning of the second half, going up 45-28 on a dunk from Kyle O'Quinn with 13:06 left to play. The Pirates closed to within 11, 47-36, on a 3-point play from Vincent Simpson (Philadelphia, Pa.) with 10:10 remaining. But Hampton could get no closer, thanks to a game-long cold streak from the floor.

Hampton (4-12, 1-3 MEAC) shot just 29.0 percent (18-for-62) from the floor, making just three of its 17 3-point attempts and 11 of its 19 free throws. Simpson led the Pirates with 13 points on 5-for-18 shooting, while Darrion Pellum (Hampton, Va.) added 10 points. Michael Freeman (Alexandria, Va.) led the Pirates with eight rebounds.

Michael Deloach led the Spartans with 15 points on 7-for-16 shooting, and Christian Morris came off the bench to add 11 to go along with a team-high six rebounds. Norfolk State (3-12, 2-2 MEAC) won its second straight game by shooting 25-for-49 (51.0 percent) from the floor and out-rebounding the Pirates 38-36.

The Spartans were trailing 11-10 with 14:14 left in the first half after Freeman hit a jumper, but Norfolk State answered with a 17-2 run that culminated at the 4:55 mark with a 3-point play from Joseph Dorsett-Jeffreys to put the Spartans up 27-13. Norfolk State outscored Hampton 23-11 from the 14:14 mark on, going into the half with a 33-22 lead.

Simpson led the Pirates with eight points in the first half, while Freeman added six to go along with a team-high six rebounds. Hampton shot just 26.7 percent (8-for-30) in the first half, making just two of its 12 3-point attempts. The Pirates also turned the ball over eight times, though they forced Norfolk State into 10 turnovers, scoring six points off them.

Deloach led the Spartans with eight first-half points, while Morris chipped in seven off the bench. O'Quinn, Marcos Tamares and Morris each had a team-high three rebounds in the first half. The Spartans shot 46.2 percent (12-for-26) in the first half, and out-rebounded Hampton 22-19 in the opening frame.

Norfolk State had 18 bench points in the first half.

The Pirates will return to action on Monday, when they head to Greensboro, N.C. to take on North Carolina A&T at 8 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.