DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Hampton University men's basketball team will look to get back into the win column on Saturday, when they take on the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman at 6 p.m. at Moore Gymnasium.

The Pirates have lost back-to-back games following Monday's 69-65 home loss to North Carolina A&T, despite 18 points from Darrion Pellum (Hampton, Va.) and 12 from Michael Freeman (Alexandria, Va.). The Wildcats have lost three straight after falling 62-56 to Maryland-Eastern Shore on Monday.

Since joining the MEAC in 1995, the Pirates are 15-8 against Bethune-Cookman, including the Wildcats' 57-52 win at the HU Convocation Center earlier this season on Jan. 23. Hampton won last year's meeting in Daytona Beach, Fla. 53-51 on Jan. 10, 2009. In all, the Pirates have won seven of the last eight games in the series dating back to 2005. Bethune-Cookman won the first two meetings between the two teams in the 1996-97 season, before Hampton won two straight. Hampton also won seven straight against the Wildcats from 2000-04. The Pirates are 7-4 against Bethune-Cookman at Moore Gymnasium.

The Wildcats went 17-16 last season, finishing in a tie for third in the MEAC with a 9-7 mark before falling to Norfolk State 63-58 in the MEAC Tournament. Guard C.J. Reed was named MEAC Rookie of the Year on top of earning Second Team All-MEAC honors. The Wildcats were picked to finish fifth in the MEAC this season, with Reed earning Preseason Second Team honors.

Reed is leading the team in scoring with an average of 16.5 points per game, while junior forward Alexander Starling is pouring in 10.0 points per contest to go along with a team-high 7.1 rebounds per night.

The Wildcats are averaging 62.7 points per game on offense, while giving up 61.5 points a night on defense. Bethune-Cookman is out-rebounding opponents by an average of 33.1-32.0 per contest.

The Pirates are 4-9 so far this season in true road games, thanks to victories at Wyoming (Nov. 28, 78-67) and at North Carolina A&T (Jan. 18, 65-55). Ten of Hampton's first 12 games were away from the HU Convocation Center, including a stretch of games from Nov. 25 through Dec. 23. Hampton is also 1-2 on the season in neutral-court games, including a 56-54 loss to Howard in the Big Apple Classic in Madison Square Garden on Dec. 5. So far this season, the Pirates are 2-3 on the road in MEAC games so far this season.

Live stats for Saturday's game between Hampton and Bethune-Cookman are available through the official Wildcats website at www.b-cuathletics.com. Pirates basketball games can be heard live on WHOV 88.1 FM, with Shemar Woods and Rod Pinkney calling all the action.

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.