HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University women's basketball team picked up its fifth straight win on Monday evening at the HU Convocation Center, as the Lady Pirates upended Coppin State 69-44.
 
The Lady Pirates (15-11, 11-2 MEAC) have now won the last eight meetings against the Eagles.
 
Sophomore guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas (Harrisburg, Pa.), the reigning MEAC Player of the Week, led the Lady Pirates with 23 points on 9-for-20 shooting, while senior guard Kyani White (Manassas, Va.) added 11 points and six rebounds.
 
Freshman forward Kaylah Lupoe (Phoenix, Ariz.) scored a career-high 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while junior guard Areana Davis (Virginia Beach, Va.) grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds.
 
The Lady Pirates shot 30.4 percent (21-for-69) from the floor and hit seven of their 24 3-pointers (29.2 percent). Hampton also went 20-for-25 (80.0 percent) from the free throw line, while also out-rebounding Coppin State 46-40.
 
Hampton turned Coppin State over 26 times, resulting in 25 points.
 
The Lady Pirates also had a 23-7 edge in second-chance points.
 
The Lady Pirates opened the game on a 9-0 run, taking that lead at the 16:23 mark of the first half following a layup from White. A 3-pointer from senior guard Kenia Cole (Silver Spring, Md.) gave the Lady Pirates a 14-2 lead with 14:15 left in the first half.
 
Coppin State answered with a 14-3 run, cutting the lead to 17-16 with 9:18 left in the half after a 3-pointer from Genesis Lucas.
 
Hampton then went on a 17-6 run to take a 34-22 lead with 2:51 left in the half after White drained a 3-pointer. White later hit a pair of free throws with 55 seconds left in the half, giving the Lady Pirates a 39-24 lead.
 
The Lady Pirates lead 39-26 at the half.
 
Though Hampton held a 46-28 lead after a pair of free throws from junior guard Ryan Jordan (Manassas, Va.) with 17:30 left, the Eagles answered with a 9-1 run to cut the lead to 47-37 with 10:51 left after a jumper from Tanaysa Henderson.
 
Hampton answered with 12 straight points, taking a 59-37 lead after Davis hit two free throws with 7:07 remaining. Lucas ended the run with a 3-pointer, before the Lady Pirates went on another spurt, taking a 66-41 lead at the 3:29 mark after a layup from Lupoe.
 
Lupoe added a 3-point play with 1:07 left to push the game to its final margin.
 
Coppin State (5-20, 4-10 MEAC) shot 30.0 percent (15-for-50) from the floor – shooting just 5-for-24 (20.8 percent) in the second half – hitting three of their four 3-pointers.
 
Lucas led Coppin State with 19 points.
 
The Lady Pirates will be in Washington, D.C. on Saturday to take on Howard at 5 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.