Game Notes

ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The Hampton University women's basketball team will look to get back into the win column on Saturday, when the Lady Pirates open conference play at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Arena against South Carolina State at 4 p.m.

The Lady Pirates (4-3, 0-0 MEAC) fell to Florida Gulf Coast 70-59 this past Saturday to wrap up the 2012 U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam for their third straight loss. Junior guard Nicole Hamilton (Hampton, Va.), who was named to the Reef Division's All-Tournament Team, led the way with 17 points.

South Carolina State (4-1, 0-0 MEAC) has won three straight after beating Jacksonville 68-45 on Wednesday.

The Lady Bulldogs went 13-16 overall last season and finished seventh in the MEAC with a 7-9 mark. South Carolina State, in its fifth season under head coach Doug Robertson, returns four starters and six letterwinners from 2011-12 and was picked to finish seventh in the MEAC this season.

Senior guard Tiara Knotts leads South Carolina State in scoring, averaging 17.6 points per game, while sophomore guard Kourtney Williams is pouring in 10.0 points a night.

Senior center Paris Alston is the team's top rebounder through five games, pulling down 6.8 boards a contest. Senior center Fannie Goodwin is averaging 6.2 boards per game.

South Carolina State is averaging 69.0 points a game on offense, while giving up just 50.0 points a contest.

The Lady Pirates are 25-10 all-time against South Carolina State, and they have won the last seven meetings — including a 73-41 decision at the HU Convocation Center last season. SCSU last beat Hampton in 2008, taking a 64-61 victory in Hampton, Va.

Since joining the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) in 1995-96, the Lady Pirates have won five regular-season and six tournament titles — including each of the last three under head coach David Six. Hampton's first regular season title came in 1998-99, and the Lady Pirates first won the MEAC Tournament — and its corresponding bid to the NCAA Tournament — in 2000.

The Lady Pirates are 276-138 against teams currently in the MEAC.

Under head coach David Six, the Lady Pirates are 32-13 in road games — including a 13-3 mark away from the HU Convocation Center last season. Hampton's success on the road has been a large part of the team's recent dominance in the MEAC; the Lady Pirates were a perfect 8-0 in road conference games last season.

The Lady Pirates won their first two roads game of the 2012-13 season, taking care of Southern Miss 78-41 on Nov. 9 before beating Mississippi State 56-48 on Nov. 12.

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.