Howard vs. Hampton basketball: Bison lose first conference game to Pirates

The Howard Bison lost their first game in MEAC conference play, falling to the previously win-less Hampton Pirates on the road, 58-50. Howard struggled on offense all night, only shooting 30.4% from the floor.

Calvin Thompson led the Bison in scoring despite coming off the bench, sinking 10 of his 12 free throws en route to 18 points. Thompson grabbed seven rebounds, but also turned the ball over seven times. Mike Phillips led Howard starters with 11 points and led the team with eight rebounds. No other players scored in the double figures for the Bison, and Alphonso Leary committed a flagrant-two foul in the second half and was ejected from the game.

Deron Powers led all scorers with 22 points, shooting 4-6 from beyond the arc while draining six of his seven free-throw attempts. Powers also led the team with six assists, while Jasper Williams was the only other Pirate to score in double-figures with 13 points.