HAMPTON, Va. – A 25-13 third quarter proved to be the difference on Saturday afternoon as Hampton dropped a 72-57 women's basketball game to Charleston Southern at home.

An even first half saw Hampton take what turned into its final lead on a steal and layup by Ashley Bates with 1:43 left to lead 28-26.  A layup by Wekyne Dunmore at the 1:36 mark evened the game at 28 heading into halftime.

A Kaylah Lupoe layup 33 seconds into the third leveled the game for the final time at 30-all.  The guests scored the next eight points and eventually got the lead to 53-41 at the end of the third on a layup by Breannah Bretches with seven seconds left in the quarter.

In the fourth, the lead grew to 17 points on a Rachel Burns jumper with 7:18 left to lead 58-41.  Hampton used a 16-5 run to trim the lead to 63-57 with 2:24 left on a Lupoe layup but that finished the scoring for Hampton.

Laren VanArsdale was the leading scorer for Hampton with 23 points and four steals, while Ashley Bates had 11 points, four assists and four steals for the lone double figure scorers for Hampton.  Lupoe and LaShayla Wright-Ponder blocked three shots apiece.

With her four steals today, Bates moved into a tie for eighth-place on the single-season steals list for the Big South Conference with 99.  She is seven steals from cracking into the Hampton University top five in a single season.

Hampton now goes on the road for the next three games starting on Tuesday night at Gardner-Webb.

For more information on Hampton University women's basketball, please contact the Office of Sports Information at 757-727-5757 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.