Jan. 3, 2004

Box Score

Princess Anne, MD - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) (0-6, 0-1 MEAC) dropped another heartbreaker tonight, this time to their Eastern Shore rival, the Delaware State University (DSU) Hornets (2-7, 1-0 MEAC) by a 60-55 margin. The Hawks went back and forth the entire game, swapping the lead five times but the Hornets took it for good at the 2:49 mark on a lay-in by Carlos Hawkins to make it 57-55.

Junior Antoine Joiner led the Hawks with 13 points going five for five from the line and two for four from behind the arc. Senior Tee Trotter was the only other Hawks in double figures with 12 points. Javes Wiggins had an outstanding game for the Hawks breaking out of a slight slump netting eight points and grabbing eight rebounds.

The game was even for the most part as the Hawks out rebounded the Hornets 36-33 and forced 17 turnovers, but giving up 19 of their own. The Hawks even had the advantage on second chance points, 17-8 but gave up ten in the paint on a 28-18 disadvantage.

UMES trailed by six to open the game as Aaron Matthews, Rocky Miji, and Terrance Hunter started the scoring early for Delaware State. UMES quickly battled back on consecutive three-pointers by Joiner and Trotter. Delaware Sate took the lead back on a Hunter jumper and held on to it until the 1:57 mark when Joiner grabbed a defensive board and drained a three at the other end to make it 25 all. A free throw by Wiggins gave the Hawks the lead but a Williams lay-in pushed it right back to DSU. They would extend that to a 30-26 margin but a pair of Trotter free throws made it 30-28 at the break.

DSU held the lead in the second half until the 16:09 mark when three free throws by Joiner tied the game at 35. A Jareem Dowling jumper at the 15:25 mark gave the Hawks their first lead of the half but the front end of free throws by Tony Roundtree cut it to one. The game was back and forth when the Hawks took the lead again, this time at the 12:42 mark on a Trotter jumper. A Wiggins free throw made the lead two, 42-40 but Hunter would tie the game for Delaware State just second later. Dowling converted a pair of free throws at the 10:31 mark and UMES again had the lead. The Hawks last lead was at the 4:58 mark when a Wiggins lay-in made it 53-52 but a William's three pointer made it 55-53 in favor of the Hornets. The Hawks had it tied at the 3:09 mark on a Trotter lay-up but could get no closer. DSU closed out the game on a Carlos Hawkins lay-in, followed by three for four shooting from the line by Hunter.

Terrance Hunter who led all scorers with 18 points paced Delaware State. He was the only Hornet in double figures. He also had a team high of six rebounds. Aaron Williams added nine points.

"It was a tough loss to swallow," said Head Coach Thomas Trotter. "We have to prepare better for those situations. We had the game in our hands but let them take it away. We played good defense and had some good play from guys like [Joiner]. We had enough to win but didn't close it out."

UMES looks to close out the Bison of Howard on Monday night when they host them at 7:30 pm in the Hytche Center. That is the last night of the Hawks free children nights. All area children ages K-8th grade can get in free to that game.