Box Score

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University men's basketball team had to wait until the final possession to seal away a 68-64 win over High Point Tuesday night at the HU Convocation Center.
 
The Pirates improved to 3-3 on the season with their second straight win, while the Panthers fell to 2-4.
 
“They [High Point] are a really good team and they shoot the ball well, so we knew coming into the game we had to play solid defense,” head coach Edward Joyner, Jr. said. “They made 13 3-pointers tonight and they kept the game close in the final seconds, but we made our free throws, which were the difference in the final seconds of the game.”
 
In the final minutes, the Panthers got within six points following a 3-pointer by Nick Barbour, but Darrion Pellum (Hampton, Va.) answered with a jumper to put the Pirates back up by eight points, 63-55, with 1:51 remaining in the game.
 
The Panthers pulled within one, 65-64 with 14 seconds left in the game after Xavier Martin made his second of two free throws. Pellum put the game away when he made two final free throws before the final attempt by High Point fell short when Martin's 3-point attempt rimmed out. 
 
The Pirates opened the first half on a 12-2 run on their way to scoring 30 first-half points behind the hot hand of Pellum, who scored 13 points in the first half, while going 3-for-5 from behind the arc.
 
Hampton shot 42 percent (12-for-28) from the floor, while also forcing eight turnovers. High Point would stay in the game and get a lead that was once as high as 15 down to as low as six points at one point in the first half behind the shooting of Barbour, who scored six points in the first half.
 
Hampton went into the half with a 30-21 lead following a layup by Mike Tuitt (Bronx, N.Y.) with less than a second left in the first half.
 
The Pirates shot 48 percent (22-for-45) from the floor for the game and made 16 of 24 free throws. Pellum led the way with 26 points, while David Bruce (Linden, N.J.) finished with 12 points and Jasper Williams (Washington, D.C.) added 10 points in the win.
 
Shay Shine led High Point with 19 points, while Barbour chipped in 17 and Martin finished with 11 in the losing effort. Hampton scored 18 points off of 13 High Point turnovers and 20 points in the paint.
 
Hampton will be back in action on Thursday, when they host Savannah State for their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) game of the season at 7 p.m. at the HU Convocation Center.
 
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