Hampton starts hot, but flames out late in defeat

Xavier Lipscomb’s 3-pointer swished through the net for Radford’s biggest lead of the game and Hampton could only remember how much different the game looked an hour earlier.

Hampton’s hot start flamed out quickly as the visiting Pirates fell to the Highlanders 76-65 on Tuesday for their third straight loss.

Senior guard Davion Warren scored a game-high 23 points on 9-for-19 shooting for the Pirates (4-7, 3-3 Big South), while sophomore point guard Deuce Dean added 17 points with three assists.

Before the two-game set against Hampton, Radford (6-6, 5-1) did not have a player averaging more than 10 points per game.

But the Highlanders found their shooting touch against the Pirates as five players scored in double figures Tuesday: Josiah Jeffers had a team-high 16, Chyree Walker and Lipscomb had 13 apiece and Lewis Djonkam and Fah’Mir Ali added 11 each.

Despite another quick start in the second half, Hampton fell behind again and eventually watched Radford pull away to its biggest lead on Lipscomb’s 3-pointer that made it 70-59.

A tale of two halves ... in one half

Hampton started the game exactly how the Pirates wished, running their offense through Warren, Dajour Dickens and Marquis Godwin.

Warren, who struggled in the first game against Radford, returned to his usual self with another 20-plus-point outing and helped the Pirates grab a 22-9 lead with 10 minutes remaining in the first half.

Hampton’s defense also played energized, guarding the 3-point line with more intensity than

the first game, which forced the Highlanders to shoot closer to their season average and worstin-the conference 29% from beyond the arc.

Suddenly, Radford flipped and embarked on a 19-5 run to take a 28-27 lead, an advantage it maintained for a 36-33 halftime lead.

Quiet from 3

Three-point sharpshooter Chris Shelton was held to a 2-for-4 shooting night, his third lowest 3-pointers made and attempted for the season.

Overall, Hampton entered the game second in the Big South in 3-pointers made and attempted, but shot just 5 for 22 from beyond the arc against Radford. Warren was 1 for 6 and Godwin went 2 for 8.

In contrast, Radford’s conference-worst 3-point offense was strong again with an 8-for-18 night.

And while the opportunity for offensive rebounding increased because of missed 3s clanging off the rim, Hampton didn’t capitalize as HU was outrebounded 42-28.

Radford senior guard Bryan Hart earned a rare start against Hampton, fittingly against a school from the town where he grew up. Hart starred at Hampton High and Hampton Roads Academy, winning Tidewater Conference Player of the Year as a senior.

Hart played college ball at Lincoln Memorial and Clayton State — both NCAA Division II programs — before transferring to Radford.

Hampton returns home for a two-game set against UNC Asheville at 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. The Bulldogs are 4-5 overall and 3-1 in the Big South, but haven’t played since Dec. 31 after two games against Presbyterian this week were postponed.