Game Notes

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University men's basketball team, fresh off winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament championship, will face No. 1 seed Duke on Friday at Bobcats Arena in Charlotte, N.C. in the second round of the 2011 NCAA Div. I Men's Basketball Tournament.

The game is scheduled to tip off at 3:05 p.m. EST and will be broadcast live on TruTV. Cox Digital Cable customers in Hampton Roads, Va. can find TruTV on channel 57. DirecTV customers can find the game on channel 246 (246-1 for HD).

The NCAA will also offer live streaming video of all tournament games through its website and the March Madness on Demand feature.

Tickets for the game are $77 and available by calling (757) 728-6554.

The Pirates learned their fate at a Selection Show party Sunday evening in the Student Center Ballroom, erupting in raucous applause and cheers when the school's name was announced in front of an audience of fans and boosters.

“We're excited for the opportunity, and it marks a chance for our program to do something special,” Pirates head coach Edward “Buck” Joyner Jr. said. “It's been 10 years since we last made history, and we want to put that stamp on our program and show the world what we're capable of.”

The Pirates (24-8), making their first NCAA appearance since 2006, earned the No. 16 seed in the West Region. They defeated defending MEAC champion Morgan State 60-55 on Saturday in the title game for their fifth straight win.

Junior guard Darrion Pellum (Hampton, Va.), a First Team All-MEAC selection, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, while junior guard Kwame Morgan II (Largo, Md.) was also named to the All-Tournament Team.

Joyner, in his second year, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Coach.

Duke (30-4), the defending national champion, won the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Tournament title on Sunday, defeating rival North Carolina 75-58 in Greensboro, N.C. The Blue Devils are led by Senior guard Nolan Smith, the ACC Player of the Year, who averages 21.3 points per game.

Senior forward Kyle Singler, a First Team All-ACC selection, is pouring in 17.1 points per contest to go along with 6.9 rebounds a game, while sophomore forward Mason Plumlee is the team's leading rebounder, pulling down 8.5 boards per contest.

The Pirates have never faced Duke and are 1-14 all-time against teams from the ACC.

Regardless of seeding or match-ups, once the initial euphoria died down on Sunday, the Pirates and their faithful came with one simple but powerful message, one with echoes from 2001 – when Hampton, then a No. 15 seed, defeated No. 2 Iowa State in the first round.

“We've got a 50-50 shot of winning this game,” Joyner said after telling the assembled crowd, “10 years ago today. 10 years ago today. If you don't know it, look it up.”

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.