Game Notes
HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University men's basketball team will wrap up the 2013-14 regular season on Thursday, squaring off against North Carolina A&T at the HU Convocation Center at 8 p.m. to celebrate Senior Night.
It will be the final home game for Ramon Mercado and Du'Vaughn Maxwell.
The Pirates (17-11, 12-3 MEAC) defeated rival Norfolk State 61-53 in the HU Convocation Center this past Saturday, further cementing themselves among the top three teams in the conference – each of which will receive first-round byes in the MEAC Tournament.
Hampton has won six straight games, and sophomore guard Deron Powers (Williamsburg, Va.) led the Pirates with 23 points for his second straight 20-point effort. Maxwell (Manhattan, N.Y.) added 12 points, a team-high nine rebounds, three blocks, and two steals, and the Pirates forced Norfolk State into 25 turnovers – resulting in 26 points.
The Aggies (9-21, 5-10 MEAC) snapped a five-game losing streak on Monday with a 62-60 win over South Carolina State. North Carolina A&T, the defending MEAC Tournament champion under its second year under head coach Cy Alexander, was picked to finish fifth in the MEAC this season.
Senior guard Lamont Middleton leads the Aggies in scoring with 17.6 points per game, while senior guard Richaud Pack is averaging 17.5 points per contest. Sophomore forward Bruce Beckford is third on the team in scoring with 11.2 points per game, while also pulling down a team-best 7.5 rebounds per game.
Hampton is 21-10 against North Carolina A&T since moving up to Div. I in 1995, and the Pirates have won five of the last eight meetings – despite a 74-63 loss in Greensboro, N.C. during the 2010-11 season. That was the last time the two teams met. The Pirates are 10-5 against the Aggies at home.
Hampton is 219-129 all-time as a Div. I program (since 1995) against teams currently in the MEAC, including an 11-5 mark in the conference last season. The Pirates are 12-3 in the MEAC this season after beating Norfolk State on Saturday.
The Pirates went 7-8 at the HU Convocation Center last season, even though they won three of their last five home contests. During Edward Joyner Jr.'s career as a head coach, Hampton is 35-25 overall in the Convocation Center, and the Pirates won their home debut on Nov. 9, defeating William & Mary 77-69, before falling 90-79 to Delaware on Nov. 17.
The Pirates won their first conference home game of the season on Dec. 7, beating Florida A&M 72-62, before beating Bethune-Cookman 85-52 on Dec. 9. Hampton also won home games on Dec. 29 and Jan. 4, a double-overtime 101-95 victory over Winthrop and an 87-60 win over Radford, before falling 71-68 to Coppin State on Jan. 18, falling 80-71 to Morgan State on Jan. 20, beating rival Howard 63-47 on Feb. 8, coming back to beat UMES 71-65 on Feb. 10, and beating rival Norfolk State 61-53 this past Saturday.
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.
