Hampton

Raleigh, N.C. -- Coppin State's women took the first step toward a successful defense of their Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title yesterday, pulling away from a young, turnover-beset Hampton team, 70-57, in a quarterfinal at the RBC Center. It was the 27th straight conference victory for the Lady Eagles (20-8), who are 19-0 this season in the MEAC and also beat Morgan State in a nonleague game that didn't count in the standings. "We weren't very fluid, and it's the first time since the conference started that we weren't as connected as we usually are. It was probably first-game jitters," Coppin coach Derek Brown said.

RICHMOND, Va. -- When Hampton University's Danielle Dawson began hitting three-pointers from all over the court in the second half last night, the end was clearly in sight for upset-minded Morgan State in the quarterfinals of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference women's tournament.Dawson, a first-team All-MEAC choice, was virtually unstoppable from beyond the arc in the second half as she tossed in three of four three-pointers during a 17-point scoring binge that carried second-seeded Hampton to a come-from-behind 63-48 victory over seventh-seeded Morgan.

Morgan State's dream of capturing a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship ended with last week's loss to South Carolina State, but the Bears still had much at stake in yesterday's season finale against visiting Hampton. The Bears, nonetheless, squandered another huge defensive effort and fell to Hampton, 17-13, despite giving up only 167 total yards. Morgan State blew opportunities to finish with a winning conference record for the first time since 2003 and to have its third winning season in almost 30 years.

BOISE, Idaho - Georgetown coach Craig Esherick estimates waking up four times the night before his Hoyas defeated Hampton, 76-57, in a second-round NCAA tournament game. It wasn't Hampton center Tarvis Williams and his 40-inch vertical leap that was the source of Esherick's discomfort. Nor was it the Pirates' overall team. What bothered Esherick was that he knew the BSU Pavilion would be filled with an overwhelmingly pro-Hampton crowd. "I was scared to death," Esherick said. And for the first 11 minutes of the opening half, his fears were becoming reality.

RICHMOND, Va. -- In a realization of Derek Brown's greatest fear of the day, a Hampton guard ended the season for his Coppin State women's basketball team. Lineni Noa made a 12-foot jumper at the buzzer to down the Eagles last night, 67-65, in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference quarterfinal game. Before his team left Baltimore, Brown remembered Noa -- along with Jessica Faust and Lashondra Dixon -- as sowing the seeds of his team's defeat during a 73-57 Hampton victory on Jan. 22. This time, after a jumper by Javonti Jones and a free throw tied the game with 12.4 seconds left, Noa looked at the clock running down, stepped forward, and sent a shot beyond the outstretched arms of Coppin's Shannon Muir and into the basket.

Mark Karcher has had his hand in nearly every win by third-ranked St. Frances, but in the Panthers' 82-65 victory over Catholic League rival Towson Catholic yesterday, his effect was not as hands-on as his game-high 31 points would indicate.Karcher's presence attracted extra defenders and freed up junior Shawn Hampton in the key, allowing the center to score nine of 19 points in a decisive second quarter that helped the first-place Panthers (18-4) pull away for the win, improving to 3-1 in the conference.

Morgan State didn't "shock the world" as first-year coach Stump Mitchell proclaimed it would this season, but the Bears did stun visiting Hampton University in yesterday's season finale before 1,275 at Hughes Stadium.The Bears, who had dropped six straight games after starting the season 3-1, scored two touchdowns in the final four minutes and escaped with an emotionally draining 23-22 victory.Morgan senior quarterback Otis Covington, still hampered by an ankle injury, hit wide receiver Tyrone Smith on a 34-yard touchdown pass with four seconds remaining to knot the score at 22 and place-kicker Shane Griffiths followed with what proved be the winning extra point.

Two years ago, forward Jarrel Smith was a highly touted freshman at Colorado State. A year ago, guard Troy Franklin was earning All-Metro honors at Mount Carmel High. Last night, the two took the court together for just the third time as members of Towson University's basketball team and quickly showed the announced crowd of 2,034 just what all the buzz is about. Smith posted career highs of 24 points and nine rebounds, and Franklin added 18 points, including a pair of critical three-pointers that helped the host Tigers regain the lead down the stretch in an 82-73 win over Hampton.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. For the most part that's a good thing -- at least when you're talking about Hampton's, Baltimore's premier luxury dining room.What has changed is the hotel's executive chef, now Craig Scott; his sous chef, now Galen Sampson; and Hampton's chef, now Michael Delcambre. The three worked together for the past six years at big-name resorts before coming to Baltimore. This summer, with much fanfare, they revamped Hampton's menu, promising important changes, bold combinations, lighter foods and less fuss in preparation.

Hill Field House wasn't quite enough for Morgan State last night.Losers of one previous game at home, the Bears made a valiant recovery from a 15-point, second-half deficit, but couldn't convert key free throws at the finish.The result was a 70-67 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference defeat to Hampton, the league's newest member, which is ineligible for the MEAC and NCAA tournaments."I don't have a whole lot to say," said Morgan coach Chris Fuller. "We keep digging the same hole over and over.