Box Score

Hampton, Va. – Rashad West scored a game-high 22 points for Hampton, but it was the clutch play of freshman Mike Freeman and Demario Mattox that helped the Pirates squeak out a 77-69 overtime victory over visiting Coppin State Monday night. With the win the Pirates evened their conference mark at 3-3, 6-10 overall and snapped a two-game losing streak to the Eagles who fell to 3-14, 1-4 in the MEAC.

Hampton led 58-54 on Freeman’s layup with 3:36 remaining, but a three-pointer by Ruben Britt sparked an 8-2 Coppin State run that had the Pirates staring at a two-point deficit with less than a minute to play. However, West knocked down two free throws to tie the game at 62 with 44 seconds left. Both teams had a chance to win the game on a three-pointer but Britt’s shot was long, as was Demario Mattox’s shot from deep as time expired.

Antwan Harrison’s layup gave the Eagles an early lead on their first possession of overtime, but the Pirates used their size advantage to take command. The 6-foot-8 Freeman posted up Coppin State’s Robert Pressey on consecutive possessions and made two spinning layups, the second leading to a three-point play that gave Hampton a 67-65 lead.

Pressey, who made his presence known throughout the night with four tremendous dunks, evened the score on a jumper in the lane for his 15th point. From there the Pirates posted a 7-0 run to seal the win. Demario Mattox knocked down a baseline jumper, Matt Pilgrim made a driving left hand layup, while West and Adrian Woodard both split a pair of free throws.

The reigning MEAC Rookie of the Week, Freeman finished the game with 17 points and seven rebounds for the Pirates to will head to first lace Delaware State on Saturday.

Tywain McKee led the Eagles with 20 points, 12 coming in the first half, and Britt went 3-of-8 from three-point range on his way to 18 points.