SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Late offensive woes plagued the Hampton University men's basketball team Sunday afternoon at the Carrier Dome, as Syracuse pulled away late for the 65-47 win in the 2K Classic.
 
The Pirates fell to 0-2 on the season.
 
"They made a few plays at the end, and we didn't," head coach Edward Joyner Jr. said. "And I think some of that has to do with getting to the free throw line.
 
"That goes back to us. We've got to get better."
 
Guard Quinton Chievous (Chicago, Ill.) led the Pirates with 17 points, going 7-for-13 from the floor. He also had a team-high five rebounds and hit three of his six 3-pointers.
                                                                                                                                     
Junior guard Deron Powers (Williamsburg, Va.) added nine points.
 
The Pirate shot 37.7 percent (20-for-53) from the floor, despite going just 8-for-24 in the second half.
 
A layup from junior guard Dwight Meikle (Baltimore, Md.) cut Syracuse's lead to 45-40 with 9:12 to play, and his jumper with 8:20 left cut the lead to 46-42.
 
But the Orange went on a 12-0 run to take a 58-42 lead after a Chris McCullogh layup at the 2:34 mark. Chievous cut the lead to 58-45 with a trey 12 seconds later, but the Pirates only managed two field goals in the final 8:19.
 
An early trey from Chievous gave the Pirates a 5-4 lead, before a Syracuse 7-2 run gave the Orange an 11-7 lead. Powers converted a 3-point play at the 15:07 mark of the first half to cut the lead to 11-10, and junior guard Brian Darden (Hampton, Va.) tied the game at 13-13 with a trey at the 13:45 mark.
 
Meikle cut Syracuse's lead to 20-19 at the 9:14 mark with a layup, but a 7-2 run from the Orange put Syracuse up 27-21 with 6:38 left in the half.
 
A Chievous jumper with 3:35 left in the half but Syracuse's lead to 31-27, but the Orange scored the last four points of the half to take a 35-27 lead at the break.
 
Syracuse (2-0) shot 41.5 percent (22-for-53) from the floor and out-rebounded the Pirates 38-32.
 
Rakeem Christmas led the Orange with 15 points.
 
The Pirates will be in Fargo, N.D. on Friday to take on Alcorn State. 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.