HAMPTON, Va. - Soufiyane Diakite recorded his eighth double-double and led a late rally, but Bethune-Cookman dropped an 80-69 decision to Hampton University on the road Monday at the HU Convocation Center. The Wildcats (11-11, 5-2) cut a 19-point second half deficit down to eight, but HU (8-13, 3-3) made its last four free throws down the stretch to seal its sixth home victory of the season.

The Wildcats had four players in double-figures, with Brandon Tabb and Shawntrez Davis each finishing with 16 points. Isaiah Bailey's 14 pushed his double-figure scoring streak to 13 games. 

Pirate Jermaine Marrow nearly had a triple-double with his game-high 35 points and nine assists to go along with his 10 rebounds.

Marrow sank a pair of free throws, part of his 15-16 effort at the line for the game, and HU led 65-46 with 9:02 left in the game. BCU then slowly chipped into the lead, starting with three made Tabb free throws, before working the deficit down to nine, 72-63, with 3:36 to go. 

Diakite made one of his two attempts, part of BCU's 21-37 showing at the line, at 2:58 to make an eight-point HU advantage at 2:58. The Wildcats were unable to bring the margin any closer in dropping their second-straight road contest.

Marrow took control of the first half with 27 points on 8-14 shooting and a 9-10 effort at the stripe. BCU was able to take a brief lead when Bailey converted a pair of free throws for a 15-14 edge at 13:35. Just over a minute later, Hampton embarked on a 12-0 run with Marrow contributing seven of those points. 

Down by 10, BCU returned the momentum with a 7-0 sprint and Houston Smith's free throw cut the deficit to 26-23 with eight minutes remaining. 

Marrow reheated his shooting, leading Hampton on a 16-3 edge for Hampton's largest lead of the half, 42-26, with 2:46 to go until intermission. His two made free throws with five seconds on the clock represented the half's final points as the Pirates took a 46-33 advantage into the break.

BCU out-rebounded and out-shot HU, 44-38 and 42.6% to 40.2%, respectively, but fell in the three-point and free throws did not go its way, with a 2-19 showing from distance and 56.8% shooting at the line. Hampton wasn't much better from downtown having connected on three of 14 attempts, but the MEAC's top performer from the stripe went 27-34.

The Wildcats return home to begin a four-game home stand, and play six of their next eight at Historic Moore Gymnasium with a Feb. 3 matchup against Coppin State. The action is set to get underway at 4 p.m.