HAMPTON, Va. – Prior to Monday evening's tilt at the Convocation Center against Florida A&M, the Hampton University women's basketball program had won 28 consecutive home conference games.
 
But that streak ended when the Rattlers defeated the Lady Pirates 66-59. It was Hampton's first home MEAC loss since a 69-66 overtime defeat to Coppin State on Jan. 28, 2012.
 
The Lady Pirates fell to 4-12 overall and 2-1 in MEAC play.
 
Freshmen guards Dejane' James and K'lynn Willis each poured in a career-high 16 points to lead the Lady Pirates, with Willis hitting three 3-pointers, grabbing six rebounds, and dishing out a team-high four assists.
 
Sophomore forward Kaylah Lupoe recorded her second straight double-double, scoring 14 points on 5-for-12 shooting and grabbing 11 rebounds.
 
Junior guard Malia Tate-DeFreitas grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds to tie her career high.
 
The Lady Pirates shot 33.3 percent from the floor (21-for-63) – including a 26.7 percent clip (8-for-30) in the second half – while hitting four of the 19 3-pointers (21.1 percent). Hampton held a 48-40 edge on the glass.
 
Neither team shot well from the free throw line; Hampton was 13-for-25 (52.0 percent) and FAMU went 10-for-22 (45.5 percent).
 
The Rattlers jumped out to a 12-2 lead to open the game, and they led 20-12 after Victoria Nguyen converted a 3-point play at the 1:58 mark. But Hampton scored the next five points, cutting the lead to 20-17 after a James 3-pointer with 40 seconds left.
 
FAMU led 21-17 after 10 minutes of play, and the Rattlers held a 27-17 edge at the 8:44 mark of the second quarter after Alicia McCray hit a layup to cap a 6-0 spurt. Olivia Antilla gave FAMU a 30-22 lead at the 5:52 mark, but the Lady Pirates scored the next 10 points, going up 32-30 with 1:36 left in the half following a free throw from Lupoe.
 
Hampton led 34-32 at the half.
 
A 6-2 run for Hampton opened the third quarter, and the Lady Pirates led 40-34 at the 7:06 mark following a free throw from Lupoe. A Willis free throw at the 5:09 mark gave Hampton its largest lead, 44-37, but FAMU went on a 10-4 run to cut the lead to 48-47 after a Kenya Dixon layup.
 
James hit two free throws to give Hampton a 50-47 lead after three quarters.
 
But the Rattlers outscored Hampton 19-9 in the fourth quarter. Willis gave Hampton a 52-47 lead with two free throws at the 8:25 mark, and James hit a layup with 4:12 remaining to put the Lady Pirates up 56-53.
 
But the Rattlers scored the next five points to take a 58-56 lead following a Dixon trey with 2:49 left.
 
Willis tied the game with a jumper, before Khadejra Young put FAMU back on top with a layup, 60-58. After sophomore forward Mikayla Sayle hit a free throw to cut the lead to 60-59, the Rattlers made six free throws down the stretch to clinch the game.
 
FAMU (9-8, 3-1 MEAC) shot 40.3 percent (25-for-62) from the floor and hit six of 23 3-pointers (26.1 percent).
 
Young led the Rattlers with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
 
The Lady Pirates will be in Greensboro, N.C. on Saturday to take on North Carolina A&T at 2 p.m. on ESPN3. 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.