WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Hampton University men's basketball team will compete in the second day of the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off on Tuesday, when they face off against Winthrop at the Lawrence Joel Coliseum at 9:30 p.m.

The Pirates, in their second season under head coach Edward Joyner Jr., opened the 2010-11 season on Monday with a 63-56 loss to Wake Forest in the opening round of the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off. Junior guard Darrion Pellum (Hampton, Va.) led the way with 15 points for the Pirates, who shot just 30.6 percent from the floor, while senior forward Charles Funches (Jersey City, N.J.) recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

The Eagles fell 67-54 to Virginia Commonwealth in their NIT opener on Monday, thanks in large part to the Rams' 11-for-24 effort from behind the arc. Sophomore Gideon Gamble led Winthrop with a career-high 20 points of 7-for-12 shooting, going 4-for-7 from behind the arc. George Valentine and Andre Jones each added nine points for the Eagles, while Valentine also had a team-high nine rebounds.

The Pirates are 0-1 all-time against Winthrop, with the lone meeting between the two teams coming during the 2003-04 season. On Dec. 5, 2003, the Eagles defeated the Pirates 84-74 in Rock Hill, S.C.

Winthrop has made its presence felt throughout the Big South, coming into the 2010-11 season as the defending conference champion – and having won nine of the last 12 Big South titles. The Eagles were selected to finish second in the Big South this season, behind Coastal Carolina, and head coach Randy Peete will have to replace Mantoris Robinson, last year's Big south Defensive Player of the Year, and 6-foot-10 post player Andy Buechert.

Junior guard Reggie Middleton is Winthrop's top returning scorer this season, having averaged 10.1 points to go along with 2.8 assists per contest a year ago. Junior forward Matt Morgan also returns, coming off a 2009-10 campaign that saw him average 9.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and shoot better than 50 percent from the field.

Also look for contributions from guards Justin Burton, Andre Jones, Robert Dreher and Gideon Gamble – as well as the return of junior forward George Valentine, who missed most of last season with a wrist injury.

In August of 2005, the NIT, LLC, which is under the umbrella of the NCAA, assumed control of the postseason NIT and the NIT Season Tip-Off. The postseason NIT was founded in 1938 by a group of New York City sports writers while the NIT Season Tip-Off, formerly known as the preseason NIT, started in 1985. An independent at-large committee chooses the field for both events. Since the inception of the two Tournaments, tens of thousands of student-athletes and coaches have participated.

The regional games will be played on Nov. 15, 16 and 17, the consolation bracket will take place on November 22 and 23 at sites to be determined, and the Championship round comes to New York City's Madison Square Garden for the semifinal contests November 24 and the consolation and championship games November 26. The Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off assures every participating team four games.

First- and second-round games will be played at the home campus of the four highest-seeded teams. The winners of those sites will move on to New York City. The remaining 12 teams will play third- and fourth-round games on the home campus sites of the three highest remaining seeds. Participating teams will not play any team twice, and the third and fourth rounds will be assigned to the most geographically compatible site possible.

ESPN will provide coverage throughout the event, televising games on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU. Games on ESPN and ESPN2 will be simulcast on ESPN3.com.

For more information on Hampton University basketball, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.