HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University women's basketball team will have its 2010-11 home opener on Tuesday, as the Lady Pirates welcome Richmond to the HU Convocation Center for a 6 p.m. tip-off.

The Lady Pirates (1-2), in their second season under head coach David Six, dropped their consolation Preseason WNIT game to Charlotte Friday night, as the 49ers beat Hampton 64-57 in Halton Arena. Junior guard Choicetta McMillian (Fairfield, Texas) and senior forward Quanneisha Perry (Decatur, Ga.) each had a team-high 16 points for the Lady Pirates, while Perry added 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the season.

The Spiders (3-1) have won two straight games after Saturday's 81-75 win over N.C. State at the Robins Center. Senior guard Brittani Shells led three Spiders in double figures with 28 points, while junior guard Abby Oliver added 19 points and freshman guard Kristina Puthoff-King scored 10. Senior center Crystal Goring pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds.

Dating back to last season, the Lady Pirates have won 18 of their last 24 games, taking the MEAC Tournament crown in the process last season with a 57-46 win over South Carolina State. At one point during conference play in 2009-10, the Lady Pirates eight straight games.

Hampton is 10-5 all-time against the Spiders, but Richmond has won the last two meetings – including a 64-46 win at the Robins Center last season. Hampton has never beaten Richmond since the Spiders have joined the Atlantic 10; all 10 Lady Pirate victories over the Spiders came when Richmond was a member of the Colonial Athletic Association. Prior to 2005, Hampton had won four straight meetings between the two teams.

The Spiders were picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic 10 this season, coming off back-to-back 20-win seasons. Coach Michael Shafer returns eight letterwinners, including four starters, from a team that advanced to the second round of last season's WNIT. Senior guard Brittani Shells was named to the Preseason All-A-10 Second Team, coming off a 2009-10 season that saw her average 16.7 points per game.

Shells is averaging 28.8 points per game so far this season for the Spiders, shooting .483 (43-for-89) from the floor. Junior guard Abby Oliver is averaging 15.5 points per game, while senior center Crystal Goring is pulling down a team-high 9.0 rebounds per contest.

The Lady Pirates were 10-3 at the HU Convocation Center last season, winning their last seven home contests. Hampton went 7-1 at home in MEAC games last season, and Six is 10-3 in his career as a head coach at home.

Live stats for Tuesday's contest between Hampton and Richmond will be available through the Pirates' athletic website at www.hamptonpirates.com. 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.