Box Score

NORFOLK, Va. – Darrion Pellum scored a game-high 26 points, and Hampton rode a strong second-half performance to an 86-72 win over Norfolk State on Saturday before a sellout crowd of 6,191 fans at Echols Hall.

The first-place Pirates (19-5, 9-2 MEAC) shot 54 percent from the floor in the second half, 75 percent from 3-point range, in outscoring the Spartans 55-40 after the intermission.

Junior Kyle O'Quinn recorded his 12th double-double of the season and fourth in a row with team highs of 17 points and 11 rebounds. He also blocked four shots.

There were three ties and four lead-changes in the first half, and neither team led by more than six points. Despite committing nine first-half turnovers and having three players saddled with two fouls apiece, the Spartans (7-16, 5-6) went into the half with a 32-31 lead. Aleek Pauline had eight points and hit all three of his field goals in the half, and Tim Zephyr added seven points in the opening stanza while the Spartan defense held Hampton to 34 percent shooting (12-of-35).

The second half was a different story. Hampton opened the stanza on a 6-1 run, sparked by a Pellum 3-pointer and a driving layup by Brandon Tunnell, to take a 37-32 lead, its largest of the game to that point. The Pirates stretched the lead to eight, 45-37, on Kwame Morgan's 3-pointer with 14:35 remaining in the game.

NSU crept within four after two Brandon Wheeless free throws with 10:37 remaining, but Hampton responded with the next four points, capped by another Morgan trey, to take a 54-45 advantage. The Pirates, who made six of their seven 3-pointers in the second half, led by at least six points the rest of the way.

Hampton hit 23-of-35 from the free-throw line in the second half to seal the win.

Morgan added 19 points and Tunnell had 15 for the Pirates.

Pauline contributed 15 points and six assists for the Spartans. Pendarvis Williams added 10 points.

NSU hosts Howard on Monday night at 8 p.m.