Norfolk, Va. (Mar. 14, 2015) --- Delaware State's bid for its first MEAC men's basketball championship since 2005 ended in a frustrating 82-61 title game loss to Hampton at the Scope Arena this afternoon.
The sixth seeded Pirates (16-17) capped off an improbable four-game tournament run to capture their second MEAC championship in five years, and fifth overall.
The loss snapped a season-best five game win streak for Delaware State (18-17), which fell to 1-5 all-time in MEAC Tournament title games. DSU has dropped three straight championship contests since capturing its lone title in 2005. The Hornets were appearing in the tournament final for the first time since 2007.
Hampton improved to 3-2 against Delaware State in MEAC Tournament contests, and avenged two losses to the Hornets during the 2014-15 regular season.
Hampton broke open a close game by outscoring the Hornets 43-21 over the last 15:41 of the contest.
The score was 32-32 at the half, and the Hornets led for the last time, 40-39 after two free throws by Amere May with 15:55 left remaining in the game. DSU led by as many as nine points in the first half.
Hampton answered with 13-3 run, and opened up a 52-43 lead on a three-pointer by Ke'Ron Brown at the 11:07 mark of the second half.
Deron Powers and Brian Darden also nailed three-point shots for the Pirates during the spurt.
The Hornets trailed 61-51 before scoring five unanswered points to cut the deficit in half.
Hampton responded by scoring 16 of the next 19 points to blow the game open.
The Pirates were 14-for-28 from the field (50.0%), highlighted by five three-pointers, in outscoring the Hornets 50-29 in the second half.
Darden and Reginald Johnson led Hampton in scoring with 20 points each. Darden had four three-point field goals; and was eight-for-eight at the free throw line. Powers added 16 points for the Pirates.
May led three Delaware State players in double figures with 20 points. He scored in double figures in each of the last 25 games and hit at least one three-point shot in the final 28 contests. May scored 671 points in his senior season with the Hornets, the third-best single season mark in team history.
Tyshawn Bell added 10 points and had a career-high 13 rebounds for the Hornets. Bell ended his DSU career with 1205 points to rank 13th on the Hornets' all-time scoring list. He also hit two three-pointers to close out his career with 206, the third-best in team history.
DeAndre Haywood came off the bench to also tally 10 points for the Hornets.
Kendall Gray had six points, six rebounds and a game-high four blocks for DSU. Gray, the Hornets' career leader with 305 blocks, ends the season with a school-record 95. He set single season records for blocks in each of the last three seasons.
Gray also closed out his Hornet career with 1020 points and 821 rebounds, just the fourth player in team history with 1000 points and 800 boards.
Delaware State senior guard Kendal Williams scored three points in three minutes off the bench. Williams, the Hornets' fourth-best scorer and assist leader, missed the previous two games due to an ankle injury.
“My hats off to Hampton for a great championship run,” said Delaware State head coach Keith Walker. “They had a great game plan for our offense and shot extremely well in the second half to take control of the game. But, I'm proud of our guys and feel really bad that we could not deliver a championship for our seniors.”
