WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Sharella Leslie (Brooklyn, N.Y,) scored the game-winning basket with 0.8 seconds remaining to give Hampton University a dramatic 58-56 win over Delaware State in a hard-fought quarterfinal game in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's tournament at the Lawrence Joel Coliseum.

The Lady Pirates (16-15), the No. 6 seed, advance to Friday's semifinal against Florida A&M University, the No. 7 seed, which advanced after an upset win over Coppin State, the No. 2 seed and defending tournament champion.

The game was one of runs. The Lady Hornets (15-15), the No. 3 seed, started the game with a run that gave them a 20-13 early lead. It was then Hampton's turn, as it put together a16-0 run at the half to take a 29-20 lead to the locker room.

Hampton continued to build on its first half momentum in the second half, maintaining an seven- to eight-point lead before opening its biggest lead at 34-20 two minutes into the second stanza.

Feeling it slipping away from them, the Lady Hornets scrapped and fought their way back with a 13-2 run that gave them the lead at 52-50 with 1:40 remaining. Alex Stewart capped off the run with a drive to the basket. That is when it got interesting.

Ashlee Finley (Harrisburg, Pa.) canned two free throws to tie the game at 52-all with 1:39 remaining and she followed with a put-back that helped the Lady Pirates regain the lead at 54-52.

Delaware State tied the game at 54 on a pair of free throws by Keyhana Wakefield with 20.9 seconds on the clock. Two seconds later, Quanneisha Perry (Decatur, Ga.) scored following a miss to make it 56-54 Hampton with 18 ticks on the clock.

Delaware State refused to quit and Wakefield scored on another strong move to the basket to tie the again at 56-all with eight seconds left.

The Lady Pirates quickly inbounded the ball and got it to Leslie who laid it in with 0.8 seconds remaining. Delaware was unable to get off a shot before the buzzer sounded.

“What you saw today was three things: poise, patience and the will to win,” said Hampton head coach Walter Mebane. “Delaware State gave it all it had and we gave it all we had. We feel very fortunate to win.”

The game-winning play was perhaps a combination of a play that the Lady Pirates worked on in practice and some divine intervention.

“I wasn't going to stop until the clock read 00.00,” said Leslie, who finished with 11 points and four assists. “We work on that in practice, but to be honest, I was just praying. The whole play I was just praying.”

The Lady Hornets were considered overachievers all season and relied heavily upon their defense in absence of consistent offense. Delaware State made up for poor shooting (38 percent) with gritty play, grabbing 19 offensive rebounds and getting 19 points off second chance opportunities.

Wakefiled led the Lady Hornets with 18 points and 5 assists while Jameka Smith added 11 and 7 rebounds.

Hampton was paced by Perry, who scored 15 and grabbed 9 rebounds and Leslie with 11 points and 4 assists.

Florida A&M, Hampton's opponent, defeated the Lady Pirates, 68-59 in Tallahassee, Fla. on Jan. 12. Mebane sees it as an intriguing matchup.

“We actually do a lot of the same things,” said Mebane. “They are very athletic and they like to get up and down the court in transition. I haven't had a lot of time to think about them, but we will be prepared.”

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.