HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University women's basketball team bounced back into the win column Monday night at the HU Convocation Center, pouncing on East Carolina early en route to a 76-48 win.

The Lady Pirates (10-3) still have not lost back-to-back games since November of last season, and Hampton has held seven of its last nine opponents under 50 points. Hampton is the first team to score more than 65 points against East Carolina this season.

Senior guard Jericka Jenkins (Lancaster, Texas), the MEAC Player of the Week, led the way with 25 points on 9-for-18 shooting, while also recording 10 assists for her second double-double of the season. Sophomore guard Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va.) poured in a career-high 18 points, while junior forward Keiara Avant (Chesapeake, Va.) added 14 points and a team-high 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season.

Hampton wasted no time establishing control, jumping out to a 17-3 lead at the 15:22 mark of the first half after a fastbreak layup from Avant. Hampton's lead grew to 21-5 almost a minute later, when Bennett sank a layup at the 14:23 mark.

A Bennett jumper with 10:59 left in the half put Hampton up 27-6.

Avant hit a 3-pointer at the 9:09 mark to balloon the lead to 32-10, before junior forward Ariel Phelps (Virginia Beach, Va.), the MEAC Co-Defensive Player of the Week, sank a layup with 2:04 left in the half to put Hampton up 43-20.

Bennett hit a jumper at the 1:27 mark to give Hampton its largest lead of the half, 45-21 – which wound up being the margin at intermission.

Jenkins had 15 points at the break, while Avant scored 11 points and Bennett already had 10.

Hampton scored four straight to open the second half, going up 49-21 at the 18:44 mark after a Bennett layup. Jenkins added a jumper at the 16:02 mark to put Hampton up by 29, 54-25.

ECU would climb to within 22, 58-36, at the 10:04 mark after a Kristine Mial free throw, but the Lady Pirates would eventually go up by 30 at the 4:01 mark, when sophomore guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) hit a jumper to give Hampton a 70-40 lead.

The Lady Pirates' largest lead came with 2:37 to play following a layup from senior forward Ashley Cox (Manhattan, N.Y.) to put Hampton up 72-41.

The Lady Pirates shot 48.3 percent (29-for-60) from the floor, while also making six of their 17 3-pointers and 12 of their 14 free throws. Hampton also held a 40-29 edge in rebounding, keeping the Lady Pirates unbeaten this season when they win the rebounding battle.

Hampton also held a 16-6 edge in second-chance points.

East Carolina (6-7) shot just 36.7 percent (18-for-49) from the floor and only hit two of their nine 3-pointers – while also going just 10-for-20 from the free throw line. ECU turned the ball over 20 times, resulting in 25 Lady Pirate points.

Chareya Smith led ECU with 13 points.

The Lady Pirates will return to action on Saturday, when they open the bulk of MEAC play against Howard on Saturday at the HU Convocation Center 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.