HAMPTON, Va. – Despite an ice-cold first half, the Hampton University men's basketball team celebrated Senior Night on Monday with a 63-59 win over rival Norfolk State in the Battle of the Bay rematch in the HU Convocation Center.
 
The Pirates improved to 13-15 overall and 10-5 in MEAC play.
 
Lawrence Cooks dropped a team-high 17 points in his final home game, going 6-for-12 from the floor and hitting five of his seven 3-pointers. Kalin Fisher added 12 points off the bench, while AJ Astroth added 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
 
Trevond Barnes also had nine boards.
 
The Pirates, in spite of shooting just 18.0 percent from the floor in the first half, shot 46.7 percent in the second half to go 21-for-69 (30.4 percent) for the game. Hampton made eight of its 20 3-pointers (40.0 percent) and went 13-for-16 (81.3 percent) from the free throw line.
 
With Hampton opening the game with two field goals in the first 10 minutes, the Spartans opened the game with a 12-5 lead. The Pirates eventually clawed to within one, cutting the lead to 18-17 at the 5:32 mark after a tip-in from Astroth, before a 6-0 NSU spurt put the Spartans up 24-17 after a Jonathan Wade layup.
 
Jermaine Marrow hit two free throws with a second left in the half to cut the lead to 31-25 at the break.
 
Astroth led the Pirates with eight points at the half.
 
After a breakaway layup from Wade with 9:44 left in the second half, the Spartans had their largest lead of the night at 50-38. But the Pirates responded by going on a 17-2 run, taking a 55-52 lead with 5:48 left to player after a three from Marrow.
 
That was Hampton's first lead of the game.
 
The Spartans fought back to tie the game at 55-55 following a Bryan Gellineau layup with 4:17 to play, but Barnes hit two free throws with 3:12 left to put the Pirates on top for good.
 
The Pirates outscored the Spartans 8-4 down the stretch to complete the comeback.
 
Norfolk State (15-15, 12-4 MEAC) shot 33.3 percent (22-for-66) from the floor, but only made four of 14 3-pointers (28.6 percent). The Spartans also struggled at the free throw line, going 11-for-17 (64.7 percent).
 
Both teams had 49 rebounds.
 
Wade led the Spartans with 19 points.
 
The Pirates will close out the regular season on Thursday at Coppin State at 8 p.m. For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5757, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.