Box Score 

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Melanie Warner scored a game-high 17 points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds and Quanneisha Perry added a double-double of her own with 15 points and 12 rebounds to lead Hampton University to a 57-46 win over South Carolina State in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament championship at the Joel Coliseum.

The Lady Pirates (20-11), the Number 2 seed, receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The pairings will be announced on Sunday.

The duo of Warner and Perry established themselves early by combining to score 18 of their team's points as Hampton led 30-22 at the half.

“Warner and Perry presented a difficult match-up problem for us,” said SC State head coach Doug Robertson. “It changed some of the things that we like to do.”

The Lady Pirates kept the scrappy Lady Bulldogs (14-19) at arm's length through most of the second half, maintaining an eight to 10-point lead before assuming control of 53-39 at the 4:59 mark.

Warner, a 5-10 sophomore forward from Tallahassee, FL, who came on strong near the end of the season proved to be a force on the boards and from the perimeter ( 2 of 4 from three-point range).

“The funny thing about Warner is that I wrote her a letter a couple of weeks ago,” revealed Hampton first year head coach David Six. “I told her in the letter that I was proud of her and how she had gone from being a player who had played very little last season, to a major contributor this season. I told her that if she continued she would not only make all conference but tournament MVP.”

Perry, who was a first team all-conference selection, recorded her 11^th double-double of the season.

South Carolina State, which came in as the Number 8 seed, was playing its fourth game in five days. It showed as the Lady Bulldogs appeared fatigued in the second half and were never able to get close enough to make a run.

“There was a point where we had a chance to get back into the game but we missed seven straight free throws,” said Coach Robertson. “It made it very difficult for us after that.” 

Equally important in the tournament championship run for Hampton was the play of the tandem of 5-4 sophomore guards Bernadette Fortune and Jericka Jenkins, who combined for 17 points and 4 assists and disrupted the Lady Bulldogs' offense..

“I like to call them the Mighty Mites,” said Coach Six. “They put so much pressure on your defense with their ability to push the ball up the floor and they are present difficult problems for teams on the perimeter.”

South Carolina State was led by senior guard Sophilia Hipps, who scored 12 points and freshman guard Tiara Knotts, who added 10 and 6 rebounds in a losing cause.

Hipps, Warner, Wiley and Perry along with Sarah Bolden were named to the all-tournament team. Warner was named the tournament most outstanding performer and Coach Six was named tournament most outstanding coach.