Game Notes

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Hampton University women's basketball team will open the 2012-13 season on the road on Friday, taking on Southern Miss at the Reed Green Coliseum at 12 p.m. EST.

The Lady Pirates (26-5, 15-1 MEAC in 2011-12) were picked to finish second in the MEAC this season and have won the last two MEAC regular-season titles – as well as the last three MEAC Tournament crowns. Head coach David Six, in his fourth year at the helm, returns two starters and seven letterwinners, while also welcoming eight newcomers.

The Golden Eagles went 13-18 overall last season, finishing ninth in Conference USA with a 6-10 mark in league play and falling in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. Southern Miss returns all five starters from last year's squad, along with seven letterwinners, and the Golden Eagles were picked to finish seventh in the conference this season.

Guard Jamierra Faulkner led Southern Miss in scoring last season, pouring in 17.2 points per game, while guard Tanecka Carey was second in scoring with 15.1 points a contest to go along with a team-high 5.9 rebounds a game. Guard Nitesha Pierce averaged 5.8 rebounds a game last season.

The Golden Eagles, under ninth-year head coach Joye Lee-McNelis, averaged 61.4 points per game in 2011-12, while giving up 66.3 points a night.

The all-time series between Hampton and Southern Miss is tied 1-1. Southern Miss won the first meeting 55-53 on Dec. 21, 2001 in Hattiesburg, Miss., and the Lady Pirates won the second meeting on Nov. 22, 2002, 48-47 in Hampton, Va.

The Lady Pirates are 3-12 all-time against teams from Conference USA. Hampton is 0-1 all-time against Central Florida; 2-5 against East Carolina; 0-1 against Southern Methodist; 1-1 against Southern Miss; 0-2 against Tulane; and 0-2 against UAB.

Hampton has never faced Houston, Marshall, Memphis, Rice, Tulsa, or Texas-El Paso.

Under Six, the Lady Pirates are 30-13 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.

Hampton was second in the nation in scoring defense last season, behind only Connecticut, allowing just 47.6 points per game. The Lady Pirates held 24 opponents under 60 points last season, while 19 opponents didn't ever crack the 50-point mark.

Hampton led the nation in 3-point field goal percentage defense in 2011-12, holding teams to just 21.3 percent behind the arc. The Lady Pirates were also fourth in the nation in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to just 33.1 percent shooting last season.

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.