Box Score

Raleigh, N.C. – Rome Sanders recovered from a poor first half and a second half injury to score two key baskets in the last two minutes to give Florida A&M University a hard-fought, 61-58 win over Hampton University in the quarterfinal round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament at the RBC Center.

The Number 2 seed Rattlers (19-13) will face the winner of Thursday’s quarterfinal match between North Carolina A&T and Norfolk State on Friday in the semifinals beginning at 8 pm.

The game at times featured a physical match-up between the two rivals. The Number 7 seed Pirates (15-16) took an early nine-point lead before FAMU rallied to tie the score at 22 at the half.

The first 20 minutes featured poor shooting, miscues and sloppy play as they combined for 33 missed shots and 21 turnovers. The Rattlers were victorious despite shooting 34-percent from the field and missing 13 free throws.

The quality of play improved slightly in the second half as the Pirates regained their momentum on the play of their all-conference guard Rashad West, who led all scorers with 25 points including some three pointers that came from another area code.

Then West was forced to the bench with his fourth foul and the Rattlers took advantage of his absence, putting together a 19-7 run that gave the Rattlers their biggest lead at 58-49 with a minute remaining.

It is then that the young Pirates made their move. Vincent Simpson, Demario Mattox and West all canned three pointers during a 49 second span to get to within two at 60-58. But Hampton turned the ball over on an inbounds play and Sanders hit one of two free throws to close out scoring.

West was the only player to score in double figures for the Pirates while Greene (11 points, 7 rebounds), Jon Mason (12 points) and first team All-MEAC selection Sanders (10 points) paced the Rattlers.