Game Notes

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Hampton University women's basketball team will open the bulk of Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play on the road on Saturday, taking on rival Howard at 2 p.m. in Burr Gymnasium.

The Lady Pirates (11-5, 2-0 MEAC) have won seven of their last nine games after Sunday's 61-58 overtime win at American. Junior forward Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va.) led the Lady Pirates with 18 points – including the game-winning 3-pointer – while senior forward Keiara Avant (Chesapeake, Va.) added 12 points and 13 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season.

Howard (7-6, 2-0 MEAC) has won three of four games after Saturday's 67-54 win at Coppin State. Senior guard Saadia Doyle led the Lady Bison with 28 points and 15 rebounds, while senior guard Kara Smith added 18 points.

The Lady Bison went 24-9 last season, finishing second in the MEAC with a 14-2 record before advancing to the first round of the WNIT. Howard, in its fifth season under head coach Niki Reid Geckeler, returns all five starters from last season, and the Lady Bison were tabbed the preseason favorite to win the MEAC.

Doyle, the Preseason MEAC Player of the Year, is leading the team in both scoring (23.2 points per game) and rebounding (9.3 rebounds per game), while Smith is averaging 10.2 points per contest.

Doyle leads the MEAC in scoring and his third in rebounding.

Howard is averaging 57.1 points per game on offense, while giving up just 56.0 points a contest.

Hampton is 23-20 all-time against Howard, and the Lady Pirates have won the last seven meetings — including all three last season. The Lady Bison last defeated Hampton on Dec. 5, 2009, a 48-47 defeat in Washington, D.C.

The Lady Pirates are 8-11 on the road against Howard.

Since joining the MEAC in 1995-96, the Lady Pirates have won five regular-season and six tournament titles — including each of the last three under head coach David Six. Hampton's first regular season title came in 1998-99, and the Lady Pirates first won the MEAC Tournament — and its corresponding bid to the NCAA Tournament — in 2000.

Under Six, the Lady Pirates are 37-14 in road games — including a 13-3 mark away from the HU Convocation Center last season. Hampton's success on the road has been a large part of the team's recent dominance in the MEAC; the Lady Pirates were a perfect 8-0 in road conference games last season.

The Lady Pirates won their first six road games of the 2012-13 season, beating Southern Miss, Mississippi State, South Carolina State, Savannah State, UMBC, and Saint Peter's before falling at Virginia Tech.

Hampton is 7-1 on the road this season.

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.