PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (Jan. 29, 2026) … Hampton's trademark stifling defense was in full display against Drexel on Thursday night but 32 percent shooting from the field including 27 percent in the second half spelled doom as the Pirates (10-12, 4-5) fell to the Dragons (11-11, 5-4) 58-51. Trailing 51-41, the Pirates reeled off eight straight points to close to 51-49 with 2:00 to go. But the Dragons scored seven of the game's final nine points to pull away.
 
Drexel took a quick 8-4 lead in the game's opening minutes. But Hampton battled back and led 14-12 before the Dragons went on a 7-0 run to take a 19-14 lead. The Pirates went five minutes without scoring before Xzavier Long's layup started an 11-5 run in the final 5:58 of the first half to give the Pirates a 25-24 lead at intermission.
 
With Hampton's leading scorer Michael Eley out of the lineup due to injury, Long scored nine points and grabbed five boards in the opening half while teammate Daniel Johnson chipped in six points. There were six lead changes and six ties in the opening half.
 
The second half started just like the first as Drexel scored eight of the first 12 points to retake the lead, 32-29. Hampton went cold, hitting just 1-of-11 shots from the field while Drexel scored 16 of the game's next 20 points to go ahead 48-33 with 6:21 left.
 
Later, trailing 51-41, the Pirates broke out of their shooting slump to close the game to just two, 51-49 with 2:00 to go. A three-pointer and two free throws by Kody Williams spurred the comeback capped by a they by Aidan Haskins.
 
But that is as close as Hampton would get. Drexel scored seven of the final nine points to pull away. Hampton clicked on just 9-of-33 shots in the final half. Long registered a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Johnson finished with 12 points.    
 
Hampton came into the game 10-0 in games in which the Pirates led at halftime and 0-11 in contests in which they were tied or trailed.
 
Hampton returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 31 at 2 p.m. when the Pirates play at Towson. The two teams tangled on New Year's Eve with Hampton outlasting the Tigers 63-62.