HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University men's basketball team charged late, but couldn't quite get over the hump Saturday night at the HU Convocation Center, as Norfolk State escaped with a 70-66 win.

Senior Vincent Simpson (Philadelphia, Pa.) had a look at the game-tying 3-pointer with eight seconds left to play and Norfolk State holding a 69-66 lead, but the ball hit the front iron. The Pirates (8-16, 4-7 MEAC) kept possession, but Rob Hampton stole the in-bound pass and hit one of two free throws with five seconds left to ice the game.

Norfolk State led 67-58 with 2:59 to play after a dunk from Hampton, but the Pirates responded with a 7-0 run that culminated in Brandon Tunnell (Wilmington, Del.) hitting a pair of free throws with 54 seconds left to pull Hampton within one, 67-66.

Michael Deloach, the MEAC's leading scorer, answered with a pair of free throws of his own with 25 seconds to play, giving the Spartans (6-17, 5-6 MEAC) a 69-66 lead.

Simpson led the Pirates with 18 points on 6-for-15 shooting, while Michael Freeman (Alexandria, Va.) added 17 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Darrion Pellum (Hampton, Va.) added 12 points on 5-for-12 shooting, including a monster one-handed dunk in the second half.

The Pirates shot 39.6 percent (19-for-48) from the floor, but made just two of their 17 shots from behind the arc. Hampton out-rebounded Norfolk State 32-29.

Deloach scored a game-high 22 points in leading four Spartans in double figures. Hampton added 13 points, while Aleek Pauline and Kyle O'Quinn each added 10 points. Hampton also pulled down a team-high five rebounds.

Norfolk State shot 49.0 percent (24-for-49) from the floor and 5-for-12 (41.7 percent) from 3-point range. Both teams turned the ball over 22 times.

The Pirates took a 33-32 lead into the half, despite watching Norfolk State open the contest with a 15-4 run. Deloach had seven points in that run, but the Pirates responded with 7-0 run to close within 15-11 on a layup from Darrion Pellum at the 12:27 mark.

The Pirates used another 13-0 run to go up 24-19 with 6:01 left in the first half after Freeman stole the ball and slammed home a breakaway dunk with one hand. Simpson also keyed the run with a 3-pointer and a transition layup.

Koron Reed (Philadelphia, Pa.) put Hampton up 33-29 with 27 seconds left in the half with a layup, but Brandon Wheeless sank a trey from the corner with three seconds left to pull the Spartans within one heading into the locker room.

The Pirates shot 40.0 percent (10-for-25) from the floor in the first half, with Freeman leading the way with 11 points and five rebounds. Simpson added seven points for the Pirates, who made 11 of 13 free throws in the half.

Norfolk State shot 40.7 percent (11-for-27) from the floor in the first half and out-rebounded Hampton 20-14. Deloach had 11 points in the first half to lead the Spartans.

The Pirates will return to action on Monday, when they take on North Carolina A&T 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.