HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University women's basketball team ran past Delaware State Monday evening at the HU Convocation Center, as the Lady Pirates took the contest 75-56 for their 10th straight win.

With a win next Monday, Feb. 18, over Norfolk State, the Lady Pirates (19-5, 10-0 MEAC) will record their fourth straight 20-win season.

Junior forward Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va.) led the Lady Pirates with 21 points, thanks in large part to her career-high four 3-pointers. Senior forward Keiara Avant (Chesapeake, Va.), the reigning MEAC Defensive Player of the Week, added 20 points on 6-for-13 shooting.

Senior guard JoNiquia Guilford (Chesapeake, Va.) added 12 points off the bench, while junior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.) added 11 points and a career-high 13 assists. Senior guard Olivia Allen (Kildeer, Ill.) added 10 points.

The Lady Pirates jumped out to a 7-0 lead at the 18:28 mark of the first half after a jumper from Hamilton, and Delaware State didn't score until Tierra Hawkins hit a layup with 17:10 left in the first half.

Hampton answered that bucket with a 7-1 run to take a 14-3 lead at the 15:08 mark after a 3-pointer from Bennett. Allen added a 3-pointer with 11:30 left in the half to put the Lady Pirates up 20-7.

Bennett added a layup at the 7:19 mark to put Hampton up 26-9.

The Lady Pirates' largest lead of the half came with 29 seconds left in the frame, when Bennett drained another trey to give Hampton a 38-19 lead. Hawkins hit a layup with five seconds left in the half to send the Lady Pirates into the locker room with a 38-21 lead.

Delaware State shot just 8-for-26 (30.8 percent) from the floor in the first half.

An 8-4 Hampton run to open the second half gave the Lady Pirates a 46-25 lead with 15:36 left to play after a Bennett 3-pointer, before Delaware State went on an 8-2 run to cut the lead to 48-33 with 12:57 left in the second half on a Tasia Bristow 3-pointer.

A 10-3 Hampton run put the Lady Pirates up 58-36 with 8:56 left after an Avant layup. Avant later added a jumper at the 8:23 mark to put Hampton up 60-38. Delaware State answered with a 10-0 run, cutting the Lady Pirates' lead to 60-48 with 5:47 to play after a Bristow layup.

Hampton then went on a 15-6 run to take a 75-54 lead with 40 seconds to play after a pair of Guilford free throws.

The Lady Pirates shot 47.3 percent (26-for-55) from the floor, hitting eight of their 15 3-pointers (53.3 percent) and going 15-for-23 (65.2 percent) from the free throw line. Hampton turned over Delaware State 22 times, resulting in 30 points.

The Lady Hornets (8-14, 5-4 MEAC) shot 45.3 percent (24-for-53) from the floor – thanks mostly to a 59.3 percent clip (16-for-27) in the second half. Delaware State also held a 33-30 edge on the glass.

Hawkins led the Lady Hornets with 18 points.

The Lady Pirates will return to action on Monday, when they take on Norfolk State at the HU Convocation Center at 4:30 p.m. live on ESPNU. 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.