NORFOLK, Va. - The Pirates of Hampton University have batten down the hatches to finish the season on an eight game winning streak. Their latest flogging came at the hands of Norfolk State on Thursday night, 74 -71. The win for the Pirates kept them at top of the conference and a share of the regular season championship.
Before the game started, there was a five team tie for first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Both Hampton (17-and-14, 12-and-4 MEAC) and Norfolk State (13-and-18, 11-and-5 MEAC) were among the five fighting to stay atop of the conference.
Norfolk native Steven Whitley had a career high 27 points for the Spartans. Whitley had the easy layup with six minutes to go and the first Norfolk State lead of the game at 64 - 62. Pirate Malique Trent-Street steals the ball from Whitley with one minute to go to take back the lead 72 - 71. Trent-Street had 19 points and Kalin Fisher had 23 point for the winning effort.
Bethune-Cookman and Savannah State both won tonight so there is a three way tie for the regular season MEAC champion. However, because HU has the best winning percentage versus the three tied teams, the Pirates will be the number one seed in next week's MEAC tournament to be played at Scope Arena in Norfolk.
Running on a eight game winning streak, the Pirates of Hampton University are hoping "dead men tell no tales" as they hope to punch a ticket to the Big Dance next week.