LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Given the run the Hampton University men's basketball team's been on over the past week and a half -- five games over the course of eight days and all the notoriety that came with it, one might wonder when the magic would run out.
 
Enter No. 1 overall seed Kentucky, which defeated the Pirates 79-56 Thursday night in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Guard Quinton Chievous (Chicago, Ill.) registered his seventh double-double of the season – and his second straight – scoring a team-high 22 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Chievous, who went 7-for-14 from the floor, was the only Hampton player in double figures.
 
The Pirates (17-18) shot 28.8 percent (17-for-59) from the floor and hit four of 16 3-pointers.
 
Chievous hit a jumper with 17:45 left in the first half to give the Pirates a 4-3 lead – what would ultimately be the Pirates' only lead of the game. Hampton, which came into Thursday's game on a five-game winning streak, trailed 13-11 at the 13:09 mark after a layup from junior forward Jervon Pressley (Charlotte, N.C.).
 
Senior forward Emmanuel Okoroba (Garland, Texas) hit a free throw at the 8:27 mark to cut Kentucky's lead to 18-14, but the Wildcats responded with 14 unanswered points, going up 32-14 after a jumper from Karl-Anthony Towns.
 
A three from Andrew Harrison capped a 23-5 run and gave the Wildcats a 41-19 lead.
 
Kentucky led 41-22 at the break.
 
The Wildcats opened the second half on a 13-2 run, taking a 54-24 lead with 15:45 left to play after Towns converted a 3-point play. A dunk from Towns later in the half put the Wildcats up 67-32, matching their largest lead of the game.
 
Hampton then went on a 19-8 run, cutting the lead to 74-51 after a jumper from junior guard Deron Powers (Williamsburg, Va.) with 3:42 to play.
 
Kentucky (35-0) shot 45.9 percent (28-for-61) from the floor and used its size advantage to hold a 51-31 edge on the glass. The Wildcats also held a 44-20 advantage in points in the paint and an 18-2 edge in second-chance points.
 
Towns led four Wildcats in double figures with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
 
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.