PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Hampton University men's basketball team dropped its second straight game on Sunday, as the Pirates fell 66-52 to Rutgers at the Rutgers Athletic Center for their second straight loss of the season.
 
The first 15 minutes of the game saw just four field goals. The other point came at the free throw line. Rutgers (3-1) made eight of its first 10 shots at the free throw line on its way to shooting 18 first-half free throws. Despite the difference in the free throws, Hampton (1-2) had 26 turnovers for the game and the Scarlet Knights turned those into to 26 points.
 
“We have to do a better job of protecting the ball,” said head coach Edward Joyner Jr. “Earlier in the game we just had to get adjusted but it is something we have to get better at because turning the ball over 26 times will not get you many wins no matter who you are playing.”
 
In the first half, the Pirates shot 35 percent, making seven of 20 shots from the floor, and they were led by senior guard Darrion Pellum, who had eight points. Early in the game, the Pirates would go back-and-forth with Rutgers, keeping them at arm's length by going on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to two points with 6:36 left in the first half.
 
Rutgers would also go on a run. The Scarlet Knights went on a 10-2 run to go back up by 10 points, but Hampton's Jasper Williams would hit a 3-pointer as time wound down in the first half to make the score 30-23 at the half.
 
Rutgers opened the second half on another 10-2 run to go up by 15 points to make the score 42-27. Pellum scored the next nine points for the Pirates and pull Hampton back within nine points following another big three pointer by Williams.
 
The Pirates would get as close as five points when Williams made his third three pointer of the game to make the score 51-46 but Rutgers would turn that into a 11-0 run and never look back on their way to a 66-52 victory over the Pirates.
 
Hampton shot 36 percent from the floor for the game, which was better than the Scarlet Knights' 31 percent. Rutgers out-rebounded the Pirates 47-33 and scored 26 points of Hampton's turnovers. Hampton was led by Pellum, who finished with a game-high 21 points.
 
The Scarlet Knights were led by Gilvydas Biruta, who had a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds.
 
The Pirates will travel to Cancun, Mexico, as they continue to take part in the Triple Crown Cancun Challenge. Hampton will face Sacred Heart on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Moon Place Golf and Spa Resort.
 
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.