| Game 24: Charleston Southern (11-12, 5-6 Big South) vs. Hampton (10-12, 5-4 Big South) |
Charleston Southern hosts their final foe from the Commonwealth of Virginia during the regular season as Hampton comes calling in a battle of the high seas. Saturday also marks the middle of a three-game stretch for CSU across five days. The Bucs fell Thursday night at Longwood in their second half comeback effort and follow Saturday's bout with Hampton Monday at USC Upstate.
Phlandrous Fleming Jr. has feasted on the Pirate defense averaging 22.7 points a contest and pulling down 11.3 boards across three games - all coming at the Hampton Convocation Center. Saturday also marks the first time Hampton visits the Buc Dome as a Big South member and just the second time in series history dating back to the 1999-00 season.
All three matchups as Big South foes have been 40-minute battles between the Buccaneers and Pirates, two being decided by single digits and one saw Hampton extend their margin in the closing minute. In their first contest this season, Hampton took a 92-85 decision as
Phlandrous Fleming Jr. set career-marks in scoring (28) and rebounding (14) at the time. The Pirates were led by a 22-point, 13-rebound effort from Ben Stanley as five players finished the night in double figures for Hampton.
Saturday is the first time Hampton makes a trip to Charleston as a Big South member after just one regular season meeting last season and a date in the CollegeInsider.com (CIT) tournament both came in the Hampton Convocation Center. Fellow second-year member USC Upstate has made three trips to Buccaneer Field House in that time with a regular season and Big South Championships battle last season as well as the conference opener earlier in January.
Scouting the Pirates
- Led by the Big South's top-2 scorers in Jermaine Marrow (24.8 ppg) and Ben Stanley (22.4 ppg), Hampton boasts the No. 2 offense in the league behind only Winthrop, the last unbeaten team in conference play.
- In the first matchup, Stanley showcased his post presence securing a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Stanley led five Pirates in double figures as they won a barn burner 92-85 in Hampton earlier in January. He trails only CSU's Phlandrous Fleming Jr. in rebounding (7.5 rpg) among the Big South and is coming off a 25-point, 10-rebound night at High Point for his seventh double-double.
- Since coming back from injury, Marrow has showcased his Big South First Team talents leading the conference in scoring (24.8 ppg), assists (7.4 apg) and minutes (38.7 mpg) while sitting among the best in field goal percentage and free throw percentage.
- Greg Heckstall also sits in double figures for the Pirates while Davion Warren sits at 9.8 per night. Both Heckstall and Warren reached double figures in the first meeting back on Jan. 4 combining for 38 points.
Series History
- Charleston Southern and Hampton have faced off four times in series history with the last three coming at the Hampton Convocation Center - all since the Pirates joined the Big South Conference.
- Hampton has also taken all four meetings thus far including two high-scoring affairs in the regular season and 73-67 battle in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
- Three of the league's top players have showed out in the matchup in recent years including Fleming, Marrow and Stanley.
Last Time Versus Hampton
- Dontrell Shuler and Phlandrous Fleming Jr. each set new career-highs Saturday night accounting for 62 points, but Hampton used late free throws to seal a 92-85 decision to slow the Bucs' hot streak.
- Charleston Southern saw offensive explosions each half from Fleming and Shuler, but Hampton used five players in double figures to inch-out their conference opener.
- Fleming scored 18 of his 28 total in the opening 20 minutes as the Bucs trailed 41-40 at the break before Shuler added 27 in the final half for a new personal-best 34 in the loss. Fleming also pulled-down a career-high 14 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season.
- Hampton was led offensively by Ben Stanley's 22 points while Davion Warren added 20 Saturday night.
- Ty Jones added 11 points in the loss while dishing out a team-high six assists and blocking a shot
