CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Pirates of Hampton University dropped a tough defensive battle in the opening round of the 21st annual Dr Pepper Classic hosted by Tennessee Chattanooga at the McKenzie Arena on Thursday, falling 42-40 to Utah Valley.

Hampton (4-9) scored just 40 points, which is a season low, shooting 15-for-51 (29 percent) from the floor. The Wolverines didn’t shoot any better, making just 15 of 61 shots (24 percent) in the game.

 In a game that saw 10 lead changes and nine ties, it came down to the last possession, when Utah Valley’s Keith Thompson made a basket late to give the Wolverines a 42-40 lead and the win. Ben Aird made the front end of a one-and-one, but missed the back end. Thompson corralled the rebound and laid it back in with five seconds to play.

 Hampton’s long 3-pointer at the end was off the mark.

 Hampton opened the game on a 10-3 run, started by a jumper from senior forward Danny Agbelese (Lanham, Md.), and the Pirates held the Wolverines without a field goal until the 12:12 mark of the first half, when Alfonzo Hubbard nailed a 3-pointer to cut Hampton’s lead to 10-8.

 Utah Valley went on a 11-2 run to tie the game at 12-12 at the 11:01 mark, when Hubbard made a layup in the lane; the Wolverines picked up their first lead of the game in that run when Kevin Woods got a put-back to make the score 16-14.

 Utah Valley used a 6-0 run to end the half to take a 24-22 lead over the Pirates.

 Defensive the Pirates forceing 12 turnovers and scored nine points off those turnovers, Utah Valley was able to capitalize on the glass, out-rebounding the Pirates 52-41, with 19 of those on the offensive end.

 Senior guard Mike Tuitt (Bronx, N.Y.) led the Pirates in scoring with 11 points, while senior guard Darrion Pellum (Hampton, Va.) chipped in 10 of his own as the lone players in double figures. Agbelese finished the game with six rebounds, seven points and a career-high nine blocks, while sophomore center David Bruce (Linden, N.J.) recorded his sixth game with 10 or more rebounds with 10 boards for the Pirates.

 Ben Aird scored a game- and team-high 15 points for the Wolverines, while Isiah Williams added 12 points.