Box Score

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University women's basketball team won its fifth straight game Monday, cruising past North Carolina Central 79-44 at the HU Convocation Center.

Sophomore forward Keiara Avant (Chesapeake, Va.) scored a career-high 17 points – all in the first half – and pulled down a career-high nine rebounds to lead the Lady Pirates (17-6). Junior guard Jericka Jenkins (Lancaster, Texas) added 17 points and 11 assists for her second straight double-double, while freshman guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) came off the bench to score 10 points.

Five of Avant's nine rebounds were on the offensive end, and she blocked one shot.

Sierra Solomon hit a 3-pointer with 12:33 left in the first half to cut Hampton's lead to 14-11, but the Lady Pirates responded with a 12-0 run to take a 26-11 lead at the 8:47 mark on a Hamilton trey. Solomon's trey was NCCU's last field goal of the first half.

A free throw from junior center Sherena Abercrumbia (Dallas, Texas) with 2:15 left in the half put Hampton up 36-16. Hampton then scored the next six points to go up 42-16 at the intermission.

NCCU shot just 5-for-21 (23.8 percent) in the first half.

Hampton opened the second half on a 16-6 run to take a 58-22 lead with 12;55 to play after Jenkins sank a jumper. Shanise Blanks would hit a 3-pointer at the 11:55 mark to bring the Lady Eagles to within 33, 58-25, but a 6-0 Hampton spurt gave the Lady Pirates their largest lead of the night, 64-25, when Hamilton hit a jumper with 8:40 to play.

Jori Nwachukwu cut the lead to 30, 68-38, with 4:33 to play with a layup.

The Lady Pirates shot 44.8 percent (30-for-67) from the floor, while making 13 of their 19 free throws. Hampton also held a 53-30 advantage on the boards.

NCCU (2-21) shot just 28.3 percent (15-for-53) from the floor and turned the ball over 16 times – resulting in 14 Hampton points. The Lady Pirates also held a 20-9 edge in second-chance points (thanks to 22 offensive rebounds) and out-scored the Lady Eagles 29-10 off the bench.

Nwachukwu led NCCU with nine points and seven rebounds.

The Lady Pirates will return to action on Saturday, when they head to Echols Hall to take on Norfolk State at 4 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.