WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite trailing for much of the second half, the Hampton University men's basketball team staged a late comeback and took a 51-49 win over rival Howard on Saturday at Burr Gymnasium.

The Pirates (4-10, 2-0 MEAC) swept the season series over the Bison.

Freshman guard Deron Powers (Williamsburg, Va.) led the way with 14 points, while junior guard Ramon Mercado (Hollywood, Fla.) came off the bench to add 10 points. Junior guard/forward Du'Vaughn Maxwell (Manhattan, N.Y.) grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

The Bison led 49-47 late, but sophomore center Emmanuel Okoroba (Garland, Texas) converted a 3-point play with 34 seconds left to give the Pirates a 50-49 lead. Powers added a free throw with 27 seconds left to push the game to its final margin.

Howard committed two turnovers in the final 34 seconds, and only had 1.4 seconds to get off a shot before the buzzer; the Bison failed.

The Bison led 11-5 with 13:17 left in the first half, but the Pirates went on a 10-0 run to take a 15-11 lead at the 7:40 mark after a free throw from Mercado. Maxwell dunked at the 7:26 mark to give the Pirates a 17-12 lead.

Senior guard Jasper Williams (Washington, D.C.) hit three free throws with 2:25 left in the first half to give the Pirates a 23-18 lead, but the Bison scored the last three points of the half to go into the locker room down 23-21.

Freshman guard Dwight Meikle (Baltimore, Md.) converted a 3-point play with 17:21 left in the second half to put Hampton up 26-21, but Howard answered with a 19-7 run to take a 40-33 lead with 7:46 left to play after a 3-pointer from Simuel Frazier.

Hampton responded with a 6-1 run, closing the gap to 41-39 with 5:20 to play after a layup from freshman forward Dionte Adams (Charlotte, N.C.)  and from there, the game was never more than a one- to two-possession affair.

Howard led 49-44 with 2:29 to play after Prince Okoroh hit two free throws, but that was the last time the Bison scored. The Pirates, in mounting their successful comeback, closed the game on a 7-0 run.

The Pirates shot 29.4 percent (15-for-51) from the floor and hit just three of their 19 3-pointers (15.8 percent). Hampton also went 18-for-27 (66.7 percent) from the free throw line and held a 44-30 edge on the glass.

Howard (4-13, 1-2 MEAC) shot 37.5 percent (18-for-48) from the floor, but hit just nine of their 21 free throws.

Frazier and Mike Phillips led Howard with 11 points each.

The Pirates will return to action on Monday, taking on Quinnipiac at 7 p.m. at the HU Convocation Center in non-conference play. 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.