HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University women's basketball team won its home finale on Monday night, upending Delaware State 71-44 at the HU Convocation Center.

The Lady Pirates (20-4, 12-1 MEAC), in picking up their fifth straight win, have won 20 games for the third straight season (a Div. I program first) and finished the 2011-12 campaign 9-1 at home. Hampton has also held its last four opponents under 50 points.

Sophomore guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) and junior forward Keiara Avant (Chesapeake, Va.) each led the Lady Pirates with 14 points, while senior guard Choicetta McMillian (Fairfield, Texas) added 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Avant, the reigning MEAC Defensive Player of the Week, also had a team-high 11 rebounds. Senior guard Jericka Jenkins (Lancaster, Texas) had a team-high nine assists.

The Lady Pirates scored the first six points of the game – all from the free throw line – and Delaware State didn't get on the board until the 12:37 mark of the first half, when Deanna Harmon drained a 3-pointer.

Hamilton answered with a trey of her own at the 12:16 mark, the Lady Pirates' first field goal of the night, to give Hampton a 9-3 lead. That lead ballooned to 20-3 with 5:41 left in the first half when Jenkins hit a jumper.

Avant nailed a jumper with 20 seconds left in the first half to send Hampton into the intermission with a 35-15 lead. Delaware State shot just 18.2 percent (4-for-22) from the floor in the first half.

Hamilton led the Lady Pirates with 12 first-half points, as Hampton shot 39.3 percent (11-for-28) in the first half. The Lady Pirates also turned Delaware State over 12 times in the first half and held a 24-15 edge on the boards.

The Lady Pirates opened the second half on a 12-4 run to take a 47-19 lead at there 14:39 mark after senior center Sherena Abercrumbia (Dallas, Texas) hit a jumper. The run eventually ballooned to 18-8, as Hampton took a 53-23 lead with 10:45 to play on a layup from junior forward Ariel Phelps (Virginia Beach, Va.).

Delaware State answered with a 9-2 run to close Hampton's lead to 55-32 at the 7:32 mark after a pair of Tasia Bristow free throws. That was as close as the Lady Hornets would get, as Hampton outscored Delaware State 16-12 over the remainder of the game.

The Lady Pirates shot 41.8 percent (23-for-55) from the floor, despite hitting just three of their 15 3-pointers and 22 of their 36 free throws. Hampton out-rebounded Delaware State 45-37, and the Lady Pirates forced the Lady Hornets into 20 turnovers – converting them into 23 points.

Hampton also held a 32-8 edge in bench points and a 32-20 advantage in the paint.

Delaware State (5-21, 2-11 MEAC) shot just 25.0 percent (13-for-52) from the floor and went just 16-for-25 from the free throw line.

Tierra Hawkins led the Lady Hornets with 12 points.

The Lady Pirates will be back in action on Saturday, when they travel to Tallahassee, Fla. to take on Florida A&M in a battle for first place in the MEAC 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.