BOXSCORE
HAMPTON, Va.- Junior guard Rachel Butler (Dallas, Texas/Lincoln HS) landed 12 free throws for a season-high 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Hampton University women’s basketball team cruised to victory over Grambling State in non-conference action Tuesday night. The win gave the Lady Pirates their 100th program conquest inside the HU Convocation Center since in it opened in 1993.
The Lady Pirates (3-2) pick-up their third win of the season while Grambling falls to 0-5.
Junior guard Artavia Burns (Dallas, Texas/Lincoln HS) was second on the team in points with 16 while connecting 5-for-6 from the charity stripe. Sophomore forward Courtnie McKinney (St. Louis, Mo. / University City HS) also led the team under the glass with 10 rebounds and adding two steals, while Whitney Hill (Hampton, Va. /Phoebus HS) registered seven points and five rebounds.
Guard Tenisha Shaw led four Lady Tigers in double figures with 14 points and five rebounds while Kourtney Sherman chipped in with 12 points.
The Lady Pirates shot 38 percent from the field and held the Lady Tigers to only 28 percent for the game.
A 37 point first half made the difference offensively for Hampton, who posted 31 in the second half. The Pirates converted 32 Grambling turnovers into 19 points and once again received help down low by putting 28 points in the paint. The Lady Pirates rebounding also kept them in the game by helping them tally 13 points on second chance shooting.
Grambling opened the game with a seven point advantage until several trips to the free-throw line by HU brought the blue and white within one (23-22) with 8:47 on the clock. A lay-up by Hill at the seven minute mark gave Hampton their first lead of the game (25-24) as they headed in to locker room on the heels of a 12 point run at halftime (37-25).
Hampton’s steady defense made up for its inconsistent offense in the second half. After shooting 37.5 percent in the first half, 15-for-40, the Lady Pirates shot just 7-for-27 for 26 percent in the second.
The Lady Pirates return to action on Saturday, December 2 when they will open up conference play against Norfolk State at 4 p.m. inside Echols Hall in Norfolk, Va.
