HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University women's basketball team upended Chicago State 87-35 on Sunday afternoon at the HU Convocation Center to remain perfect to open the 2012-13 season.

This is the program's first 4-0 start in Div. I history.

Senior forward Keiara Avant (Chesapeake, Va.) led the Lady Pirates with 24 points and 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double to open the season – and her ninth over the last 13 games dating back to last season. Sophomore guard Kenia Cole (Burtonsville, Md.) poured in a career-high 16 points behind four 3-pointers.

Junior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) added 13 points and a career-high 12 assists. Redshirt-freshman forward Brielle Ward (Baltimore, Md.) grabbed a career- and team-high 15 rebounds.

The Lady Pirates wasted no time taking control, opening the game on a 14-0 run that culminated in a 3-pointer from Avant with 15:55 left in the first half. Chicago State did not score until the 15:30 mark, when Paris Williams sank a layup.

Ward hit a pair of free throws with 12:59 to go in the half to put Hampton up 24-2, and Hamilton later added a jumper at the 9:02 mark to give the Lady Pirates a 26-4 lead.

After the Cougars (1-3) cut the lead to 28-8, Hampton went on a 10-0 run to take a 38-8 lead after a free throw from Avant. Junior center Brascia Audain (St. Kitts, Virgin Islands) added two free throws with 11 seconds left in the half to put Hampton up 41-11.

The Lady Pirates took that lead into the half, holding Chicago State to just three field goals (3-for-15, 20.0 percent shooting) in the first 20 minutes.

Another Avant 3-pointer with 18:07 left in the second half gave the Lady Pirates a 46-12 lead, before later going up 62-21 on a Cole 3-pointer with 10:30 left to play. Cole later hit a jumper in the lane at the 9:18 mark to give the Lady Pirates a 66-23 lead.

A Cole layup at the 4:15 mark put Hampton up 79-30.

The Lady Pirates' largest lead of the evening came with 3:06 left to play, after freshman guard Shellis Hampton (Grand Rapids, Mich.) hit a 3-pointer to put Hampton up 84-31.

Hampton shot 36.3 percent from the floor, hitting 29 of their 80 shots, while also going 9-for-35 (25.7 percent) from behind the arc and 20-for-33 (60.6 percent) from the charity stripe. The Lady Pirates out-rebounded Chicago State 55-35, including 32-9 on the offensive end.

The Lady Pirates had 20 second-chance points.

Chicago State shot just 26.5 percent (9-for-34) from the floor and tuned the ball over 28 times – resulting in 36 Hampton points.

Jasmine Collins and Jackie Jones led the Cougars with seven points each.

The Lady Pirates will return to action on Thursday, when they open the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam against South Carolina. 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.