HAMPTON, Va. – Freshman Jermany Mapp paced six in double figures for Hampton with a career-high 22 points as the Lady Pirates played their first game of 2021 and defeated USC Upstate 86-77 on Friday night.
Hampton blistered the nets from behind-the-arc tying a school record with 14 3-pointers as Mapp drained four en route to her high of 22 points. She was 7-of-10 from the floor and hit all four of her free throws.
The Lady Pirates last hit 14 3-pointers in a game on Dec. 10, 2011, against the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Playing in its first game of the calendar year, due to COVID pauses at scheduled opponents, Hampton showed no issue jumping out to an 8-0 lead as Mapp drained her second 3-ball in the first two minutes. Mapp hit another jumper at the 4:22 mark to keep the advantage at 13-11.
USC Upstate closed the half scoring six of the last nine points as a McKinley Brooks-Sumpter jumper with five seconds left put them up 17-16 after one.
Hampton went wild in the second quarter outscoring the Spartans 28-16. Another Mapp 3-pointer put Hampton up 21-20 at the 9:06 point and jumpstarted an 18-4 burst with Victoria Mason joining the 3-point brigade to take a 39-24 lead with 4:14 left in the half.
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In the third, Nas Nigatu hit a 3-pointer with 1:57 left to give Hampton a 63-50 lead. The guests closed the quarter on a 12-1 run to trail 64-62 on a Brooks-Sumpter steal and floater just before the buzzer.
Molly Coleman tied the game with a layup to start the fourth, but Hampton scored nine of the next 10 points to regain control with a Tia Montagne 3-ball to lead 73-65 with 5:05 remaining. Upstate made a run trimming the lead to 73-71 on a Brooks-Sumpter layup at the 2:32 mark. Montagne broke their back with a four-point play draining a 3-ball from the corner and the foul shot to go up 77-71 on the ensuing possession.
Joining Mapp in double figures were Montagne (14 points), Victoria Davis (13 points, seven assists), Mason (11 points, four assists), Nylah Young (10 points, eight rebounds) and Nigatu (10 points, five rebounds). It’s believed to be the first time in the NCAA Division I era that six Lady Pirates scored in double figures.
The same teams close out the Big South Conference series on Saturday afternoon at 3 pm.
Courtesy: Hampton Athletics
