HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University men's basketball team used a strong second half to surge past Maryland Eastern Shore for its second straight win, taking a 78-66 victory at the HU Convocation Center on Monday night in front of a national ESPNU audience.

Junior guard Kwame Morgan II (Largo, Md.) led the Pirates with 30 points on a career-best 8-for-14 shooting from 3-point range. Junior guard Christopher Tolson (Laurel, Md.) added 11 points, while senior guard Brandon Tunnell (Wilmington, Del.) added 10 points and a career-high 12 assists.

Junior forward Danny Agbelese (Lanham, Md.) pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds and blocked three shots.

A 3-point play from Lyvann Obame Obame with 10:28 to play gave UMES a 51-50 lead, but the Pirates responded with a 21-5 run to take a 71-56 lead at the 4:23 mark after senior forward Charles Funches (Jersey City, N.J.) hit a jumper.

Morgan scored eight points during that run, including two treys.

Hampton made five of six free throws down the stretch to ice the game. The Hawks (4-17, 1-7 MEAC) went from the 7:55 mark to 1:48 to play without a field goal.

The Pirates (17-5, 7-2 MEAC) shot 47.4 percent (27-for-57) from the floor, including a 15-for-26 (57.7 percent) clip in the second half. Hampton also made nine of 25 3-pointers and 15 of 12 free throws.

UMES shot 43.3 percent (26-for-60) from the floor and out-rebounded Hampton 38-31, but the Pirates forced the Hawks into 19 turnovers, turning them into 27 points.

Hillary Haley led UMES with 20 points on 7-for-14 shooting to go along with a team-high nine rebounds, while Tyler Hines added 13 points.

After Diyaaldin Kelley hit a jumper with 12:31 to go in the first half to tie the game at 18-18, the Hawks went on an 8-0 run to take a 26-18 lead at the 10:42 mark when Haley sank a layup. But the Pirates went on an 11-1 run to take a 29-27 lead after a layup from sophomore forward Wesley Dunning (Washington, D.C.) at the 4:58 mark.

Kevin White hit a jumper with nine seconds left at the half to send the game into the intermission tied at 33-33.

The Hawks shot 50.0 percent (15-for-30) from the floor in the first half.

The Pirates will return to action on Saturday, when they return to the HU Convocation Center to take on South Carolina State at 6 p.m. 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.