Final Stats

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Mike Freeman scored a game- and season-high 20 points in front of a sellout crowd at Burr Gymnasium on Thursday night as the Pirates of Hampton University closed out the regular season with a 54-48 victory over the Bison of Howard University.

 

In a game that saw eight lead changes and six ties, both the Pirates (15-15, 8-8 MEAC) and the Bison (8-22, 6-10 MEAC) finished the game shooting 32.7 percent from the floor, making just 16-of-49 shots taken. The difference for the Pirates was the fact that they were 19-of-26 from the charity stripe, with their final 11 points coming at the free throw line.

 

“It was a great game that I feel that we played really well,” said Pirates coach Kevin Nickelberry. “Mike (Freeman) played a great game tonight with his 20 points, seven rebounds and three steals were all key, and it's something good to see this headed to the MEAC Tournament next week.”

 

The Pirates and Bison would go basket-for-basket for most of the game, until 11:11 in the second half when Freeman scored on an open layup to give the Pirates a 38-36. Hampton would go up by as many as seven points and Howard would only get as close as three.

 

The Pirates did just enough in the first half to take a slight 25-23 lead over the Bison at the break.

 

Freeman led the way for Hampton with his season- and game-high 20 points, which proved to be enough for the Pirates to take the victory.

 

The Bison finished the night with two players in double figures, led by Paul Kirkpatrick, who finished the night with a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. He was aided by Eugene Myatt, who finished the night with 11 points and five rebounds.

 

“This was a big win for us because we want to close out the season on a winning note and with the comeback with against North Carolina A&T on Monday night and then the big win tonight, it a huge confidence boost for the players so we look to grow on this,” said Nickelberry.

 

The Pirates will be off until next week, when they take part in the 2009 MEAC Tournament, which will be held in Winston-Salem, N.C. March 9-14 at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum (LJVM).

 

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.