HAMPTON, VA (WTKR)- Trailing at the half, Hampton clamped down and was able to get some revenge over a 757 rival and pick up another CAA win.
Kyrese Mullen put up an impressive double-double of 19 points and 14 rebounds to pace the Pirates to a 62-57 win over William & Mary at the Convocation Center on Thursday night. Hampton improves to 6-17, 3-8 in conference play, while the Tribe falls to 9-15, 4-7 in the CAA.
Trailing 19-17 with 8:21 to play in the opening frame, William & Mary ended the half on a 17-8 surge to go into the locker room on top, 34-27.
Hampton, however, stepped up in the second. The Pirates held their fellow Tidewater rivals to just 23 second half points and took the lead for good with 5:17 remaining. A ferocious Jordan Nesbitt dunk with 13 seconds left put the exclamation point on the victory.
Mullen's efforts led four Hampton players in double figures. Nesbitt scored 17 points, Ray Bethea chipped in 11 points and Marquis Godwin added 10 points. Anders Nelson led the Tribe with 13 points.
William & Mary shot a higher percentage from the floor and won the rebounding battle, but Hampton made the Tribe the pay for its 13 turnovers. The Pirates scored 24 points off of William & Mary giveaways, while the Tribe managed just three points off of turnovers.
The two teams have been heading in different directions as of late. William & Mary has lost five of its last six games, while Hampton has tasted victory in three of its last four contests. The Tribe got the best of the Pirates last month in Williamsburg, 81-65.
Both teams return to action on Saturday, as Hampton takes on Norfolk State in Newark, New Jersey, and the Tribe welcomes UNC-Wilmington.
