Hampton, VA—The Howard University men's basketball team will try to attempt to do something it has not done in the past eight years and that is beat the Pirates of Hampton University. The two rivals enter this game going in different directions. Howard, which was picked to win the MEAC regular season, has been ravaged by a number of serious injuries, including a devastating one to Hampton native, senior guard James "J-Byrd" Daniel, III, who has played in only two games this season after leading the nation in scoring (27.1 ppg) and being picked as the pre-season player of the year. Because of the inability to get consistent scoring, the Bison (5-19, 2-7 in the MEAC) have dropped five in a row and 11 of their last 13. 

The game will be played at the Hampton Convocation Center and will tip off at 6 pm. It will be the only meeting between the two rivals in the regular season. 

The Pirates (10-13, 7-3 in the MEAC), the defending MEAC champs were expected to struggle in what was to be a rebuilding year after the team lost of its starters. But Hampton has gotten some sterling play from some surprising quarters and are in the hunt for the league regular title in fourth place just two games out of first place. They have won four in a row, including back-to-back 90-point plus efforts in road victories over Savannah State and SC State. 

Red-shirt junior guard James "JT" Miller and Charles "CJ" Williams have been the team's most consistent scorers and they combine for over 31 points between them. But with so many injuries to key players during the course of the season, the Bison are lacking in depth and experience. It has shown glaringly in the past five losses as it has had problems providing help for Miller and Williams. 

Williams, a 6-5 freshman from Richmond, VA, has come on strong of late with his ability to score in a number of different ways. He started the season as a primary three-point shooter because of his ability to shoot his shot at the top of his jump. But as teams have started to focus their defense on him and taking away his outside shot, the talented first-year player has gone to his bag of tricks, flashing in the lane and shooting over defenders or using his explosive first step to get in the lane and create problems with his ability to hang and get defenders to foul. 

Fans at the Hampton Convocation Center could be in for a treat as Williams and Hampton freshman Jermaine Marrow square off in a battle of two talented first year players and future stars in the MEAC. 

Game Notes: /documents/2017/2/11//MBBALL_25.pdf?id=523

NEXT UP: Howard returns home for a Monday night game against Morgan State University at 9:10 pm on ESPNU while the Pirates go on the road and take on Bethune Cookman next Saturday at 4 pm.