The Hampton Pirates won eight of their past nine games to capture their second consecutive MEAC conference title. The Pirates rely on an experienced group of guards that anchor the highest-scoring team in the MEAC (74.6 PPG). Can they continue to ride this wave of momentum to an NCAA tournament upset?
ESPN Insider has your answers, as Joe Lunardi has enlisted a team of Bracketologists to compile advanced metrics, key scouting intel and best- and worst-case tournament scenarios for all 68 teams to help you make smart picks in your bracket.
TOURNEY PROFILE
Best wins: Louisiana Monroe, South Carolina State, Norfolk State
Worst losses: Nicholls State, at Maryland-Eastern Shore
Regular season conference finish: 1st, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Polls and metrics: Hampton remained unranked all season and finished 165th in RPI and 247th in BPI.
All-time tourney record: 2-5
Coach's tourney record: Edward Joyner (1-2)
Bracketology chart | BPI information
PERSONNEL
(Note: Player statistics are through games of March 6.)
STARTING LINEUP
F Dionte Adams (4.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG)
F Quinton Chievous (17.3 PPG, 11.2 RPG)
G Brian Darden (12.8 PPG, 2.0 APG)
G Reginald Johnson Jr. (18.2 PPG, 3.6 APG)
G Lawrence Cooks (8.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG)
Key Bench Players
C Jervon Pressley (6.3 PPG, 6.1 RPG)
G Kalin Fisher (3.8 PPG, 1.5 RPG)
G Akim Mitchell (2.6 PPG, 2.0 RPG)
Biggest strength: Experience. Nearly every significant member of Hampton's rotation is an upperclassman who tasted NCAA tournament victory last season in its opening-round matchup versus Manhattan. The Pirates' continuity is evident, especially in transition, where they do much of their offensive damage.
Biggest weakness: Perimeter shooting. Hampton shoots just 31 percent from beyond the arc, which has proven to be its Achilles' heel against teams that are long and active defensively. The Pirates went just 8-8 this season when making less than 30 percent of their 3-point attempts.
Best player: Chievous. He was the only player in the MEAC to average a double-double this season. At 6-foot-6, he has a remarkable nose for the ball on the glass and uses his physicality to finish through contact at the rim.
X factor: Darden. While his perimeter shooting is fairly inconsistent, he does possess legitimate NBA range and a quick trigger in transition. Opponents must identify Darden on the secondary break because of his catch-and-shoot ability. Hampton went 8-2 this season when he made more than three 3-pointers per game.
SCOUTING REPORT
Offensive approach: Coach Joyner's squad employed the fastest tempo in the MEAC this season (72.2 possessions per game) and is much more comfortable on the fast break than in running half-court sets. Point guard Johnson regularly pushes tempo and seeks open scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates early in the shot clock.
Defensive approach: The Pirates primarily play half-court man-to-man because they don't possess the requisite length to play an effective zone. Hampton's guards rely on primary shot-blockers Pressley (1.8 BPG) and Adams (1.3 BPG) in the paint when they get beat off the dribble.
How they beat you: Hampton uses its athleticism to push the pace and create an up-and-down game. When Johnson is initiating transition offense and Chievous is cleaning up on the offensive glass, the Pirates can put up points in a hurry. They went 15-2 this season when scoring at least 75 points.
How you beat them: Hampton is a below-average defensive team, largely because of bad communication on screens and a noticeable lack of girth in the paint. If Hampton is challenged by teams with a size advantage that play sound transition defense, it is rendered far less dangerous.
WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY
(Note: All statistics in this section are courtesy of kenpom.com and are accurate through games of March 6.)
NATIONAL RANKS
Offensive efficiency, 292nd (97.5)
Defensive efficiency, 182nd (104.2)
3-point percentage, 330th (30.1)
3-point percentage D, 97th (33.2)
Free throw rate, 57th (41.7)
Free throw rate D, 191st (37.7)
TO percentage, 230th (18.9)
TO percentage D, 253rd (17.0)
Good stat: 33.2 3-point percentage D
Hampton's guards do an excellent job of contesting perimeter shots and forcing its opponents to score two at a time. The perimeter defense is keyed by Johnson (1.7 SPG), who typically guards the opponent's primary ball handler.
Bad stat: 30.1 3-point percentage
The Pirates are among the nation's worst shooting perimeter teams, so their guards must attack in order to have offensive success. Teams have enjoyed success against Hampton this year by forcing the Pirates into contested perimeter shots, which turn into empty possessions far more often than not.
HOW FAR WILL THEY GO?
Best-case scenario: Round of 32 exit
Hampton boasts a strong enough backcourt to scare an opponent without perimeter quickness that isn't accustomed to playing at a frenetic pace. Chievous and Johnson are talented enough to play on most teams in this field, but there is a significant talent drop-off down the bench.
Worst-case scenario: One and done
The Pirates didn't beat a single team ranked in the top 100 of RPI this season, so their track record wouldn't suggest they're capable of pulling off a major upset.