HAMPTON, Va. (Jan. 19, 2024) ... Hampton University men's basketball is set to conclude their two-game conference road trip against the Hawks of Monmouth. Tipoff for Saturday's game inside the Ocean First Bank Center is at 2:00 PM. The Pirates were able to sweep the regular season series last year but fell in the CAA Tournament to the Hawks.
 
Looking at the Pirates
 
Hampton is coming off an 86-77 loss to Hofstra. While the Pirates shot 42.9 percent from the field, the Pride hit eight threes in the second half along with shooting 85 percent from the free throw line. Throughout the contest, Trey Thomas provided HU with a spark off the bench. Thomas produced a team-high 17 points in 27 minutes of action. Tedrick Wilcox Jr. had a solid night from beyond the arc hitting five threes. Wilcox Jr.'s five threes were one away from tying his season high of six.
 
Since the start of conference play, Jerry Deng has become one of the Pirate's better three-point shooters. Deng is shooting a team-high 45 percent from three against CAA opponents. While Jordan Nesbitt struggled from beyond the arc early in his return, he has started to find his rhythm. Nesbitt in Hampton's last five games is shooting 43 percent from three.
 
Hampton by the Numbers

• 11: Jordan Nesbitt had a career-high in assists last time out against Hofstra
• 10.0: Trey Thomas is one of two players to average double figures since the start of conference play for HU
• 6.9: The Pirates are producing the second most steals per game in the CAA 
• 12.5: Hampton ranks second in the conference for fast break points per contest
• 27.6: HU sits 37th in the country for bench points per game

 
Looking at the Hawks
 
Monmouth enters Saturday's game with a 9-9 overall record and 2-3 in the conference. In the opening week of the season, the Hawks pulled off an upset defeating West Virginia 73-65 on the road. After starting off conference play 2-0, Monmouth has dropped three straight. The Hawks are coached by King Rice, who enters his 13th season under the helm. Rice has led the program through three conference changes.

The Hawks have one the best guards in the conference with Xander Rice. The West Long Branch, N.J. native, is averaging the second most in the CAA with 21.1. Rice throughout the season has proven himself to be an efficient scorer. Through the halfway point of the season, he is shooting 39.9 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from three. Sophomore Jack Collins has been the Hawks secondary scorer, averaging 11.1 points per contest. While Collins is shooting 41 percent from the field, he has struggled from the free throw line.

Monmouth by the Numbers

• 1.95: Jakari Spence has the fourth-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the CAA
• 379: Xander Rice this season has produced the 11th most points in the country
• -1.7: The Hawks are one of five teams in the conference to have a negative points margin
• 105: Xander Rice leads the CAA in free throws and sits 12th in the nation
• 42.4%: Monmouth on average is holding opponents to the third-lowest field goal percentage in the conference.