HAMPTON, Va. (HamptonPirates.com) - The Hampton University men's basketball team announced its non-conference schedule on Friday with a good mix of new opponents, HBCU rivals and a pair of national events.
"This will be a good test for our team heading into conference play as we were able to renew rivalries with long-time HBCU powers North Carolina Central, Morgan State, Grambling State along with our regular games with Norfolk State and Howard," said Hampton University coach Buck Joyner. "To play in a couple of nationally televised HBCU events will be great exposure for our program and our school to spread our brand even more."
The Pirates will open with a pair of games at home hosting Mid-Atlantic Christian (Nov. 9) and Regent University (Nov. 13) before embarking on a six-game road swing. That run will start with a visit to Towson University (Nov. 16) then head to Spartanburg, S.C. to participate in a weekend event at Wofford College taking on the hosts on Nov. 19 and Georgia Southern on November 20.
After a visit to Tampa and a first-ever meeting with the University of South Florida, the Pirates will venture to Phoenix, Arizona and the Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge hosted by Chris Paul on November 28-29. At this event, the Pirates will play two games on the ESPN family of networks against Morgan State, Grambling State or Norfolk State as those opponents will be announced at a later date.
Hampton returns home on December 4 to host Norfolk State in the Battle of the Bay before another brief road swing. They'll head up Interstate 64 to face William & Mary on December 9 and return to Baltimore to face Loyola on December 12.
The last road non-conference game of the season will be in the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. as Hampton will face longtime rival North Carolina Central in the Invesco Legacy Classic on December 18. This game will air on TNT network and put on by Michael B. Jordan.
Hampton will close out the non-conference schedule hosting VMI on December 22 and close out the 2021 portion hosting Howard in the Battle of the Real HU on December 30.
THIS WEEKEND IN PIRATE ATHLETICS
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Friday at Delaware State, 7pm
Saturday vs. UNC Asheville, 7 pm
The women’s soccer team will have a pair of matches this weekend starting on Friday night with taking on Delaware State in Dover, Delaware. Hampton will return to the home field of Wanner Stadium on Saturday night resuming Big South Conference action against UNC Asheville also at 7 pm.
VOLLEYBALL
Friday at Presbyterian, 6 pm
Saturday at Charleston Southern, 2 pm
The volleyball team opens Big South Conference action this weekend with a trip to South Carolina for matches against Presbyterian (6pm/Friday) and Charleston Southern (2pm/Saturday).
CROSS COUNTRY
The Shore Invitational, Saturday 9am
The cross country teams will close out their first month of the season at Princess Anne, Md. running in the Shore Invitational hosted by Maryland-Eastern Shore.
