FARGO, N.D. – Despite a hot first half of shooting Saturday night, the Hampton University men's basketball team struggled offensively in the second half, wrapping up the 2K Classic with a 74-66 loss at North Dakota State.
 
The Pirates fell to 1-3 on the season.
 
Guard Quinton Chievous (Chicago, Ill.) led the Pirates with 15 points, while redshirt junior guard Dwight Meikle (Baltimore, Md.) added 13 points and a team-high six rebounds, going 6-for-11 from the floor. Junior guard Brian Darden (Hampton, Va.) added 11 points.
 
Junior guard Deron Powers (Williamsburg, Va.) had four assists.
 
The Pirates shot 47.3 percent (26-for-55) from the floor and made eight of 14 3-pointers – despite shooting just 34.5 percent (10-for-29) in the second half. North Dakota State held a 30-29 edge in rebounds and shot 45.1 percent (23-for-51) from the floor.
 
The Bison shot 40.0 percent (10-for-25) in the second half.
 
North Dakota State led 11-7 early in the contest before the Pirates went on an 8-3 run to take a 15-14 lead after Chievous hit a 3-pointer at the 12:59 mark. The Bison later held a 30-27 lead at the 5:34 mark, before the Pirates went on a 15-3 run, taking a 42-33 lead with 27 seconds left after a 3-point play from Chievous.
 
The Pirates led 42-35 at the half, thanks to a 61.5 percent (16-for-26) clip from the floor.
 
Chievous opened the second half with a jumper to give the Pirates a 44-35 lead, before the Bison scored the next nine points to tie the game at 44-44 with 17:32 remaining. From there, the teams traded baskets, until sophomore guard Lawrence Cooks (Charlotte, N.C.) gave Hampton a 50-48 lead with a jumper at the 15:58 mark.
 
North Dakota State went on a 15-4 run, taking a 63-54 with 8:52 remaining. The Bison's largest lead came at the 5:23 mark, when a 3-pointer from Paul Miller gave North Dakota State a 68-56 lead. The Pirates answered with a 7-0 run, cutting the lead to 68-63 with 3:13 left after a Meikle jumper.
 
But the Bison hit all six free throws in the closing minutes to clinch the win.
 
A.J. Jacobson led four Bison in double figures with 19 points.
 
The Pirates will be in Boone, N.C. on Monday to take on Appalachian State at 7 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.