Box Score NORFOLK, Va. -- Angel Golden scored 16 points, but Bethune-Cookman's courageous fourth-quarter rally fell short as Hampton escaped with a 61-60 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament semifinal decision Friday afternoon at the Scope.

Down 55-42 with 5:50 remaining, the Lady Wildcats (24-6) closed it to one point on Angel Golden's three-pointer with 2:12 to play.

Bethune-Cookman had chances to tie it, but couldn't capitalize as Hampton's Monnazjea Finney Smith sank two free throws with three seconds remaining that made Brianna Battle's three-pointer at the buzzer meaningless.

Golden, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Player Of The Year, scored 10 points in the final 5:15.

Chasimmie Brown, hampered by foul trouble added 13 points while Kanesha Battle (10 points) provided a much-needed lift off the bench for the Lady Wildcats, who fell behind 18-9 after the first quarter and could never make a serious dent in the Pirate (18-13) lead until late.

Bethune-Cookman held Hampton to 3-17 shooting from the field in the third quarter, but could only make up one point of a 34-22 halftime deficit and went into the final ten minutes down 48-37.

The late surge began after an impassioned time out pep talk from Assistant Coach Chandler McCabe, filling in for Head Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis, who was with her newborn son Bryce Robert back in Daytona Beach.

A Brown lay-up and Golden three-pointer made for a quick 5-0 run. After a Hampton basket, Golden scored seven points on the 9-0 run that cut it to one.

Ashanti Hunt finished with seven points, a team-high seven rebounds and three assists. Brianna Battle had six points and four assists.

Senior Emily Williams scored six points, while senior Lyndsey Edwards pulled down two key offensive rebounds that kept the Lady Wildcat rally going.



NOTES: This was a rematch of last year's championship, also won by Hampton after it went it to a big lead … Kanesha Battle hadn't scored in double figures since dropping 22 on Prairie View A&M on Nov. 20 … Hampton went to the line 26 times to B-CU's 12….Brown was 5-7 from the field.