Box Score

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Hampton University men's basketball ended its two-game skid in resounding fashion on Saturday, upending Bethune-Cookman 71-44 at Moore Gymnasium on Saturday.

After leading by five at the half, the Pirates opened the second half on a 13-0 run, going up 39-21 with 16:19 left to play after Brandon Tunnell (Wilmington, Del.) sank a 3-pointer. After the Wildcats cut the lead to 48-32 on a Javoris Bryant free throw at the 11:54 mark, the Pirates (9-17, 5-8 MEAC) went on a 13-5 spurt, going up 61-36 after Kwame Morgan II (Largo, Md.) sank a trey with 8:27 left to play.

The Pirates would lead by as many as 29, leading 71-42 with 46 seconds left after a pair of Jonathan Ntoko (Greenbelt, Md.) free throws.

Darrion Pellum (Hampton, Va.) led four Pirates in double figures with 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting, while Michael Freeman (Alexandria, Va.) added 14 points on 5-for-12 shooting and a 4-for-5 effort from the free throw line. Morgan added 11 points off the bench, and Charles Funches (Bayonne, N.J.) added 10 points on 10-for-12 shooting from the charity stripe.

Funches also had a team-high nine rebounds as the Pirates out-rebounded the Wildcats 37-26.

Hampton shot 45.1 percent (23-for-51) from the floor, making six of its 13 3-pointers. The Pirates also shot 19-for-23 (82.6 percent) from the free throw line.

Bryant led Bethune-Cookman with 15 points and a team-high six rebounds, while Alexander Starling added 10 points. The Wildcats shot 34.1 percent (15-for-44) from the floor, making just one of their eight 3-point attempts.

The Wildcats (14-13, 6-7 MEAC) opened the game on a 6-0 run, and they led 13-11 midway through the first half after C.J. Reed hit a 3-pointer at the 9:58 mark. But Pellum answered with a 3-pointer of his own to give Hampton a 14-13 lead – one the Pirates wouldn't relinquish.

Hampton led 26-21 at the half.

Pellum led the Pirates with nine first-half points, as the team shot 41.7 percent (10-for-24) from the floor and held a 17-12 rebounding edge.

Starling had eight points to lead Bethune-Cookman in the first half; the Wildcats shot 9-for-22 (40.9 percent) from the floor.

The Pirates will return to action on Monday, when they head to Gaither Gymnasium to take on the Rattlers of Florida A&M at 7:30 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.