HAMPTON, VA – Hampton pulled away late and finishes its homestand with a win, defeating Presbyterian 74-69 Monday in a Big South showdown.
 
Guard Russell Dean topped all scorers with 27 points and adds five assists and seven rebounds. Dean has scored 20 or more points in three of the past four games. Forward Marquis Godwin drilled six threes (6-11 3PT) and finished with 20, his best scoring game this season. Forward Najee Garvin posted 19 points in the Pirates' win.
 
Presbyterian opened the contest on a 14-4 run, seizing the momentum early on. Hampton was able to battle back and found themselves with a three-point lead following a Dean layup with just over five minutes to go until halftime. The Pirates' lead was short lived however and would go into the half trailing 40-36.
 
With the second half beginning, both teams were seeking to take control of the game early on. Both Hampton and Presbyterian traded baskets in the early minutes of the second half. But, with 15:26 remaining in the game, a made free-throw by Dean would give the Pirates the final lead change of the game. Hampton played front-runner for the remainder of the contest and thwarted a late run by the Blue Hose with stifling defense and excellent free-throw shooting, 88.9 percent, to hang on for the win. The Pirates would limit the Blue Hose to just 38.8 percent shooting from the field and just a single three-point make on the night.
 
Hampton hits the road to take on UNC Asheville Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN+.