Hampton may not have perfect record, but it wins MEAC

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Two weeks ago, Howard ended Hampton's hopes for an unbeaten season in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The Pirates made sure Howard didn't keep them out of the NCAA tournament.

Tommy Adams scored 19 points, including a key three-point play with 8:14 left, and Hampton beat the Bison 80-62 Saturday to win its second consecutive MEAC tournament title.

"Last year had been done before," Hampton coach Steve Merfeld said. "I couldn't be any prouder."

The top-seeded Pirates (26-6) also got 15 points from Mackel Purvis in avenging their only loss in 18 regular-season conference games, an 82-81 setback at Howard.

Hampton became the first team to return to the NCAA tournament a year after winning as a No. 15 seed. The Pirates stunned second-seeded Iowa State 58-57 in the first round last season.

The Pirates won this one by riding the 3-point shooting of Adams in the first half and the inside play of Dwayne McNeal after the break.

Adams hit all four of his 3-pointers in the first 12:04 and had 15 points by halftime. McNeal had 11 of his 13 points in the first 6½ minutes of the second half, when the Bison went to a trapping defense to slow Adams down.

Isaac Jefferson, who had seven points, 12 rebounds and five assists for Hampton, said his team didn't plan to turn to McNeal.

"It just happened that way," Jefferson said. "We got organized, and it was his night. He was finishing, so we had to just keep going to him."

The change in focus made it nearly impossible for the Bison to stop both players, and coach Frankie Allen credited the Pirates for choosing right.

"They're a smart team. They did what they had to do," he said. "Once we kind of extended our defense, they kept pounding it inside."

Howard (18-13) was denied its first championship since 1992.

Adams said the loss to the Bison was his biggest motivation on Saturday.

"That was personal motivation, and I think deep down inside, every single one of my teammates felt the same way," he said.

The Pirates led 60-44 with 10 minutes left when the Bison hit three 3-pointers in a span of 1:24 to pull to 60-53. But Adams darted down the lane at the other end, hit his shot and added a free throw.

The play pushed the Pirates' lead back to 10, and the Bison only got the deficit into single digits one more time, at 65-56 with 7:26 left.

Barry Hairston scored 12 points for Hampton, hitting all eight of his free-throw attempts.

"It's been that way all year long," Merfeld said. "We never know who's going to step up, who's going to make plays and help us be successful."

Howard was led by Ron Williamson's 14 points, including three 3-pointers in the second half. Kyle Williams hit three 3-pointers and scored 12 points. The Bison were 9-for-34 from 3-point range (27 percent).

The Bison also played the first half without starting guard Gil Goodrich, suspended by the MEAC for punching Delaware State's Miles Davis in the groin during Howard's 65-56 semifinal victory Friday night.

Goodrich started the second half and was booed every time he touched the ball, but he scored 11 points and hit the first two 3-pointers in the 9-0 run that quickly closed Howard's 16-point deficit to 60-53.

"The crowd was on him pretty good," Allen said.