Game Notes

NORFOLK, Va. – The Hampton University men's basketball team will look to get back into the win column on Saturday, as the Pirates cross the James River to take on rival Norfolk State at Echols Hall at 6 p.m.

The Pirates (8-15, 4-6 MEAC), in their third season under head coach Edward Joyner Jr., fell on the road to Delaware State 77-69 on Monday night, keeping them winless on the road so far this season. Senior guard Mike Tuitt (Bronx, N.Y.) led four Pirates in double figures with 16 points and 10 assists, while senior guard Christopher Tolson (Laurel, Md.) added 14 points.

Senior guard Darrion Pellum (Hampton, Va.) and junior forward Wesley Dunning (Washington, D.C.) added 13 and 10 points, respectively.

The Spartans (17-8, 9-2 MEAC) beat Maryland Eastern Shore 72-50 in Princess Anne, Md. on Monday, setting a school Div. I record for wins in a single season. Senior guard/forward Chris McEachin tied his career high with 20 points, while senior center Kyle O'Quinn added 18 points and senior guard/forward Rodney McCauley poured in 12 points.

The Spartans went 12-20 overall last season, finishing sixth in the MEAC with a mark of 8-8 before Hampton ousted them in the semifinals of the MEAC Tournament. Norfolk State, under fifth-year head coach Anthony Evans, return two starters are 11 letterwinners from last season, and was picked to finish fourth in the MEAC this year.

O'Quinn, the MEAC Preseason Player of the Year, leads the team in scoring and rebounding with 16.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. McEachin is second on the team in scoring with 13.3 points a game, while sophomore guard Pendarvis Williams is the other Spartan in double figures with 11.4 points a night.

The Spartans are scoring 68.8 points a game, while giving up 67.1 points per contest.

Since moving up to Div. I in 1995, the Pirates are 19-15 against Norfolk State, having won four of the last five meetings between the two teams – despite an 80-75 loss at the HU Convocation Center on Jan. 21. In all, Hampton has won nine of the last 15 meetings, and the Pirates are 5-9 against Norfolk State at Echols Hall.

Hampton is 195-115 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. North Carolina Central, in its first year in the MEAC, is the only team currently in the conference that the Pirates have not faced since moving to Div. I.

Since joining the MEAC in 1995, the Pirates have won two regular-season conference titles (2000-01, 2001-02) and four MEAC Tournament crowns (2001, 2002, 2006, 2011).

The Pirates went 8-5 on the road last season, winning three of their last four regular-season road games in 2010-11 – including the last two at Delaware State (71-64) and at Howard (83-72). The Pirates dropped their 2011-12 road opener on Nov. 17, falling 72-51 at Richmond before losing 66-52 at Rutgers on Nov. 20 and 54-53 to Fordham on Dec. 5, 74-72 to American on Dec. 7, 74-65 at Liberty on Dec. 17, 64-54 to Robert Morris on Dec. 20, 74-67 to James Madison on Jan. 9, 83-66 to Coppin State on Jan. 14, 68-56 at Morgan State on Jan. 16 and 77-69 at Delaware State on Monday.

For his career as a head coach, Joyner is 14-23 on the road – 0-10 this season.

Saturday's game will be broadcast by the Heritage Sports Radio Network on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 137.

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.