Game Notes

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University men's basketball team will look tog et back into the win column on Saturday, as the Pirates take on Bethune-Cookman in a battle for first place in the MEAC at the HU Convocation Center at 6 p.m.

The Pirates (19-6, 9-3 MEAC), in their second season under head coach Edward Joyner Jr., had their four-game winning streak snapped on Monday at North Carolina A&T 74-63. Junior guard Kwame Morgan II (Largo, Md.) scored 27 points on 10-for-21 shooting – and 7-for-12 from behind the arc – while senior forward Charles Funches (Jersey City, N.J.) added 15 points and 10 rebounds, and junior guard Darrion Pellum (Hampton, Va.) scored 12 points.

Bethune-Cookman (15-11, 9-3 MEAC) won its second straight game on Monday, defeating Maryland Eastern Shore 86-50 at Moore Gymnasium. Junior guard C.J. Reed led five Wildcats in double figures with 21 points, while senior forward Alexander Starling added 18 points and nine rebounds. Junior forward Garrius Holloman added 17 points, while sophomore guard Kevin Dukes scored 13 points and junior guard Stanley Elliott poured in 10.

Hampton is 17-8 against Bethune-Cookman since moving up to Division I in 1995, including a 68-56 win in Daytona Beach, Fla. on Jan. 22. The two teams split last season's meetings; the Wildcats won 57-52 at the HU Convocation Center on Jan. 23, 2010, before the Pirates returned the favor in Daytona Beach, Fla. 71-44 on Feb. 20, 2010. In all, Hampton has won eight of the last nine games in the series. The Wildcats won the first two meetings in the series, before the Pirates won two straight. Hampton is 7-4 against Bethune-Cookman at home.

The Wildcats went 17-16 last season, finishing fourth in the MEAC with a 7-9 conference record and advancing to the semifinals of the MEAC Tournament before falling to Delaware State. Returning four starters and seven letterwinners from last year's squad, Bethune-Cookman was picked to finish fourth in the MEAC, receiving two first-place votes.

Reed is leads the team in scoring, pouring in a MEAC-best 18.6 points per game, while Holloman is averaging 11.4 points a night. Starling is third on the team in scoring with 11.3 points a contest, while also pulling down a team-high 7.1 rebounds per game.

The Wildcats score 65.7 points a game, while also giving up 65.7 points a night.

The Pirates are 8-1 at the HU Convocation Center so far this season following a 64-53 win over South Carolina State on Feb. 5. Hampton has also beaten Georgia State 60-56, before falling to Delaware 55-53, beating Towson 78-67, beating Liberty 62-59, beating Norfolk State 63-56, beating North Carolina A&T 82-77 and beating Delaware State 70-66 (in overtime) at home so far this season. The Pirates went 6-6 at home last season, winning their last three games at the Convocation Center.

Following Saturday's game, the Pirates will take on Florida A&M on Monday at 8 p.m. at the HU Convocation Center in the their home finale. 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.