Complete Game Notes

Game 8
Howard (3-4) vs. Hampton (2-3)
Big Apple Classic

Date: Saturday, Dec. 1
Time: 9 p.m. EST
Place: Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y.
Series: Hampton leads 36-17

Saturday's contest is a MEAC game between the Pirates of Hampton and the Bison of Howard.  The Pirates (2-3 overall, 0-0 in the MEAC) were coming off a big, 51-50 road over Delaware at presstime that snapped a three-game losing streak  Hampton has a game on Thursday at VCU.  The Bison (3-4 overall, 0-0 in the MEAC) are coming off a 75-65 home win over Navy on Tuesday that snapped a two-game losing streak.

Howard
Probable Starters

Reserves

Hampton
Probable Starters

Reserves

The Coaches
Hampton is coached by Kevin Nickleberry (Virginia Wesleyan, '86), who is in his second year as head coach of the Pirates.  Nickleberry served as assistant coach under Mike McLeese here at Howard.  Howard is coached by Gil Jackson (Elizabethtown College, '69), who is in his third season and has an 18-47 career record to date.

Series Record
The two schools split last season with the Bison prevailing in the Big Apple Classic, 95-84 but Hampton defeated the Bison, 76-61 in the first round of last year's MEAC Tournament in Raleigh, NC.  The Pirates lead the series, 36-17 and are 20-4 vs. Howard since 1999.

Pirate Treasures
The Pirates are the pre-season favorites to win the MEAC...Hampton is averaging 10 steals per game...all three Pirate losses came on the road by an average of six points...Hampton is averaging four blocked shots per game...Matt Pilgrim leads the team with eight...The Pirates have allowed their opponents a little over 62 points per game.

Bison Hooves
Myatt is shooting 53 percent from the field and 43 percent from three-point range...Howard is on a pace to have a record-breaking season in blocked shots...the Bison already have 33 with Adam Walker leading the way with 11...Howard has had problems with turnovers, averaging over 17 per game....the Bison are shooting only 27 percent from beyond the arc...Howard has started a different lineup in each game.

Next Up
Hampton travels to Fairfax, VA on Wednesday to take on the Patriots of George Mason University at 7 pm while the Bison travel cross-town to face the Eagles of American University on Tuesday at 7 pm.

Media Notes
This game will be broadcast live on ESPN360 and will be aired on tape delay on ESPNU.