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Hampton Men’s Basketball Back Set to Face First Big East Foe Since the 2017-18 Season

HAMPTON, Va. (Nov. 11, 2024) … Hampton men's basketball team continues its first road trip of the 2024-25 campaign against the Providence Friars. The Pirates have not faced a Big East opponent since the 2017-18 season. Tuesday's game also marks the 15th consecutive season the men's basketball program has been on national TV. The game is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. in Amica Mutual Pavilion and will be available on Fox Sports One. 

Hampton has never faced Providence in the program's history. The Pirates have faced three other current Big East foes and have gone 0-3 in those matchups. HU's first game against a Big East team came during the Steve Merfeld era against Marquette in the 1999-00 campaign. One year later at the 2001 NCAA Tournament Hampton faced the Georgetown Hoyas in the Round of 32. The Pirates postseason run ended with the Hoyas winning the contest 76-57. The program's most recent matchup was against Xavier during the 2017-18 campaign. Tuesday will also mark Coach Ivan Thomas's first return to Providence as a head coach. 

In their last time out the Pirates fell on the road to Atlantic-10 foe George Washington. Heading into the half, Hampton was only down eight to the Revolutionaries while only shooting 23 percent from the field. The Pirates also outrebounded George Washington and built a substantial advantage on the offensive glass. The Revolutionaries found their rhythm on the offensive end shooting 58 percent from the field in the closing half. George Beale Jr. led the Pirates in scoring with 19 points. 

While Beale Jr. has come off the bench in both games, he has emerged as Hampton's leading scorer. The Suffolk, Va. native, is averaging a team-high 17.0 ppg. Through two games he ranks 10th in the Coastal Athletic Association for points per game. Georgetown transfer Wayne Bristol Jr. is another scoring option for Hampton. Bristol Jr. along with Beale Jr. are the only two Pirates to be in double figures in both contests this season. 

The Friars are coached by Kim English who is in his second season with the program. Providence last season made it to the semifinal round of the Big East Tournament. During their tournament run, the Friars defeated No. 8 Creighton 78-73. Coach English's first season came to an end at the 2024 National Invitation Tournament. In the opening round, Providence fell to Boston College 62-57. 

Through the opening week of the season, the Friars have been one the better defensive teams in the country. Providence ranks ninth in the country for scoring defense (52.0 ppg) and 14th in field goal percentage defense (31.8 percent). Bensley Joseph has been the Friar's top threat from beyond the arc. The Arlington, Mass. native, is averaging three made three-pointers per game on 46.2 percent shooting from deep. 
 
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Players Mentioned

George Beale Jr.

#0 George Beale Jr.

G
6' 4"
Junior
Wayne Bristol Jr.

#31 Wayne Bristol Jr.

G
6' 6"
Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

George Beale Jr.

#0 George Beale Jr.

6' 4"
Junior
G
Wayne Bristol Jr.

#31 Wayne Bristol Jr.

6' 6"
Graduate Student
G