Box Score

Williamsburg, Va. – Down by 15 with less than four minutes to play, the Pirates of Hampton University cut the William & Mary lead down to two before succumbing to the Tribe 72-67 in a non-conference matchup at Kaplan Arena Thursday night. Rashad West matched his career-high with 28 points to lead Hampton which lost its sixth consecutive contest against a team from the Colonial Athletic Association.

A three-pointer by Laimis Kisielius and back-to-back layups from Nathan Mann sparked a three-minute, 9-0 Tribe run that stretched a 47-42 lead into a 56-42 William & Mary advantage with six minutes to play. That lead eventually reached 15 on another shot from behind the arc by Adam Payton at the 3:42 mark, part of Tribe’s 60% shooting performance in the second half.

However, the scrappy Pirates turned up the intensity of the defensive end and climbed back into the game. Hampton forced William & Mary into four consecutive turnovers and the Pirates took advantage by mounting a 9-0 run of their own with Rashad West and Matt Pilgrim accounting for seven points. When West’s spinning jumper in the lane fell through the basket with 1:16 remaining, the Tribe was holding onto a 64-56 lead.

Hampton freshman John Ntoko and West knocked down back-to-back three-pointers and Mike Freeman’s layup brought the Pirates to within two at 66-64 with 18 seconds on the clock. Unfortunately for Hampton fans the Tribe made all six of their free throws in the final seconds to secure the win.

Amazingly, the Pirates scored 32 points off of 24 Tribe turnovers, but in the end Hampton’s 19-of-31 (.613) effort at the free line eventually cost them. In addition to his second straight 28-point game West also added five steals, while Pilgrim chipped in with 12 points and nine rebounds. Mike Freeman was the only other Pirate in double figures with 10

Laimis Kisielius guided the Tribe with 18 points after going 8-of-12 from the line, and Mann and Payton added 12 points apiece.