Game Notes

HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University men's basketball team will hold its 2012-13 home opener on Saturday at the HU Convocation Center, taking on rival Howard in the teams' MEAC opener at 7 p.m.

The Pirates (0-6, 0-0 MEAC), in their fourth season under head coach Edward Joyner Jr., are in search of their first win of the season after falling 73-64 at Radford on Wednesday, despite 16 points from freshman guard Ke'Ron Brown (Savannah, Ga.) and 13 points from freshman guard Deron Powers (Williamsburg, Va.).

The Bison (1-6, 0-0 MEAC) fell 70-46 at Pitt on Tuesday, despite 12 points from sophomore guard Simuel Frazier and 10 points each from junior forward Alphonso Leary and senior forward Mike Phillips.

The Bison were 10-21 overall last season, finishing tied for eighth in the MEAC with a conference mark of 6-10. Howard was picked to finish eighth in the MEAC this season, the team's third under head coach Kevin Nickelberry.

Redshirt-senior guard Calvin Thompson leads Howard in scoring, averaging 14.3 points per game despite only playing in three of the team's seven games so far this season. Phillips is pouring in 11.3 points a contest to go along with a team-high 6.9 rebounds per game, while Frazier is averaging 10.0 points a night.

The Bison are averaging just 52.9 points a game on offense, while giving up just 63.9 points a night.

Since moving up to Div. I in 1995, the Pirates are 29-5 against Howard. Hampton has won the last five meetings between the two teams – including sweeping the season series last year. Overall, the Pirates have won 17 of the last 19 meetings against the Bison, and Howard's last win over Hampton came in the 2009 Big Apple Classic, 56-54.

Howard has not won back-to-back games against the Pirates in program Div. I history.

Hampton is 199-119 all-time as a Div. I program (since 1995) against teams currently in the MEAC, including a 6-10 mark in the conference last season. The Pirates have faced every team currently in the MEAC at least once, including newcomers North Carolina Central and Savannah State.

The Pirates are 17-11 against Bethune-Cookman; 14-15 against Coppin State; 17-15 against Delaware State; 18-11 against Florida A&M; 29-5 against Howard; 21-6 against Maryland Eastern Shore; 22-11 against Morgan State; 19-16 against Norfolk State; 21-10 against North Carolina A&T; 0-1 against North Carolina Central; 3-1 against Savannah State; and 18-17 against South Carolina State.

For his career as a head coach, Ed Joyner is 20-13 at home, and the Pirates were 6-5 at home last season – beating William & Mary, High Point, Howard, South Carolina State, Morgan State and Maryland Eastern Shore, while losing to Savannah State, Norfolk State, Coppin State, Delaware State, and North Carolina Central.

Saturday's contest against Howard will be Hampton's first home game of this season, and it will kick off a string of four straight home games for the Pirates.

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.