Box Score
HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University men's basketball team couldn't quite complete the comeback, coming up just short in a 57-52 loss to Bethune-Cookman on Saturday night at the HU Convocation Center.
When Brandon Tunnell (Wilmington, Del.) sank a layup with 4:03 remaining, he pulled the Pirates (5-13, 2-4 MEAC) to within one of the Wildcats, 46-45. But that would be the Pirates' last field goal until 20 seconds left when Tunnell hit another layup, as the Wildcats ended the game on an 11-6 spurt to push the game to its final margin. The Wildcats made seven of 10 free throws in the final 53 seconds.
Darrion Pellum (Hampton, Va.) converted a 3-point play with seven seconds left to play to pull Hampton within three, 55-52, but Albert Abrahams sank two free throws one second later to ice the game for the Wildcats.
Vincent Simpson (Philadelphia, Pa.) led the Pirates with 17 points on 4-for-9 shooting and an 8-for-10 effort from the free throw line. Tunnell scored 15 points, while Pellum added 10 in the loss. Charles Funches (Bayonne, N.J.) led the Pirates with 10 rebounds.
Hampton shot 34.8 percent (16-for-46) from the floor, while Bethune-Cookman shot 48.9 percent (22-for-45). The Pirates out-rebounded the Wildcats 32-26 and forced Bethune-Cookman into 17 turnovers, while only committing 15 themselves.
Abrahams led the Wildcats (12-7, 5-1 MEAC) with 17 points on 6-for-10 shooting, while C.J. Reed added 16 points and four assists. Reed also had a team-high six rebounds.
After the Pirates jumped out to a 6-2 lead on a pair of 3-pointers from Pellum, Bethune-Cookman went on a 26-8 run, culminating with a 3-pointer from Reed with 6:15 left in the half to give the Wildcats a 28-14 lead. Hampton would answer with a 7-0 spurt of its own, and Bethune-Cookman took a 28-21 lead into the intermission.
The Pirates will return to action on Monday, when they take on the Rattlers of Florida A&M at the HU Convocation Center 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.
