HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University women's basketball team will help ring in the holidays on Wednesday, when they return to the HU Convocation Center to take on the Highlanders of Radford University at 5:30 p.m.

Following Sunday's 83-64 loss at Old Dominion – in which sophomore guard Bernadette Fortune (Virginia Beach, Va.) scored a career-high 21 points off the bench – the Lady Pirates (2-7) have lost seven straight games. Radford (1-8) has lost three straight games, including a 74-40 defeat at Richmond on Monday.

The Lady Pirates lead the all-time series against Radford 8-3, with the last meeting coming Nov. 25, 2007, when Hampton took away a 71-54 victory at the HU Convocation Center. The two teams first met on Dec. 8, 1979, when Hampton won 77-66 at Radford; the Lady Pirates won the first three games in the all-time series, before Radford picked up its first win, an 89-74 decision on Dec. 8, 1981. Hampton is 4-0 all-time against Radford at home.

Hampton is 22-11 all-time against teams from the Big South Conference, including their 8-3 mark against Radford. Hampton is also 11-5 all-time against Liberty; 1-0 against Elon; 1-0 against UNC-Asheville; 1-1 against Coastal Carolina; 0-1 against Charleston Southern; and 0-1 against Winthrop.

After falling 64-46 to Richmond on Nov. 24 and 84-71 at Southern Methodist on Nov. 27, the Lady Pirates fell 48-47 at Howard on Dec. 5 and 83-64 at Old Dominion on Sunday to move to 0-4 on the road so far this season. The Lady Pirates went 6-10 on the road in 2008-09, including a 3-5 road mark in conference play. Hampton won three of its last five road games last season, including wins over South Carolina State, Winston-Salem State and Norfolk State. Hampton will look for its first road win of the season, but the Lady Pirates are 6-10 all-time at Howard.

The Highlanders were 10-18 in 2008-09, finishig third in the Big South with a 9-7 mark before falling in the Big South quarterfinals to Gardner-Webb 61-50. Senior Johnette Walker was named Big south Defensive Player of the Year, while then-sophomore Taleia Moton was named First Team All-Big South after leading the team and placing second in the conference at 14.9 points per game. The Highlanders were picked to finish seventh in the Big South this season after losing three starters; redshirt-senior forward Kymesha Alston was named to the Preseason All-Big South Team.

Alston is leading Radford in scoring with an average of 8.9 points a contest, and her 5.3 rebounds a night are second on the team. Junior guard/forward Brooke McElroy is leading the Highlanders in rebounding, pulling down 6.0 boards a game. Junior guard Denay Wood is second in scoring at 7.9 points a game, while junior guard Kaylyn Crosier is averaging 7.4 points a contest.

Radford is averaging just 46.7 points a game on offense, while the defense is giving up 62.4 points a night. The Highlanders are also being out-rebounded by an average of 43.2-32.8 per game.

Live stats for Wednesday's game will be available through the official Pirates athletics website, www.hamptonpirates.com. Pirates basketball games can be heard live on WHOV 88.1 FM, with Shamar Woods and Matt White calling all the action.

After the holiday, the Lady Pirates will travel to Miami, Fla. on Dec. 28-29 for the Florida International Sun & Fun Classic, where they will compete alongside FIU, Bryant and Georgia Tech. 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.