Feb. 15, 2005
Box Score
PRINCESS ANNE, MD - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Fighting Hawks could not hold on to the lead and dropped a close home contest to the Bethune Cookman (BCC) Wildcats, 68-58. UMES held a lead for the duration of the first period but could not convert on their field goals in the second half. The Fighting Hawks shot 28% in the second period and went 7-25 from the field.
UMES (2-21, 1-13 MEAC) held the lead for the majority of the first half, holding BCC (11-12, 7-6 MEAC) to 38% field goal shooting while connecting on 12 of their 28 shot attempts. The Fighting Hawks sprinted out of the gates in the first period, hitting two consecutive treys en route to an 8-0 run in the first three minutes of play.
The Wildcats fought their way back into the game, tying it up at 16-16 off of a Kory Crumbly lay-up at 9:37. The Fighting Hawks responded, and a pair of free throws by junior Tim Parham (Chicago, Ill./Ellsworth CC) capped off another run by UMES. The Fighting Hawks held BCC scoreless for the next two and a half minutes and banked their next two shots to go up 23-16 with seven minutes remaining in the half.
The Wildcats fought their way back into the game behind good defense, forcing UMES into committing four turnovers and two fouls in a three-minute span. A jumper by Antonio Webb at 2:30 gave BCC their first lead of the game, but the Fighting Hawks went into the locker room with the advantage, as Aly Samabaly (Bamako, Mali/Duquesene) hit a free throw to give UMES a 33-32 lead as time expired.
Corey Brown (Ruthville, VA/Mott CC) scored nine points to lead all scorers at the half, while Parham and Jareem Dowling (St. Croix, US Virgin Islands/Cecil CC) added eight each. Diondre Larmond and Webb scored seven apiece to pace BCC.
Nicholas Berry hit a jumper to start the second half, giving the Wildcats a slim one point advantage in the opening minutes. The two teams traded baskets in the next couple of possessions but BCC broke the game open midway through the period, holding the Hawks scoreless for just over five minutes to take a double digit lead at 11:12. The BCC advantage ballooned to as high as 19 points, as Webb connected on another lay-up at 7:26 to put the Wildcats up 61-42.
UMES got the lead down to single digits in the final minute of play but it was not enough for the Hawks, as BCC went home with the 10 point victory, 68-58 at the Hytche Center.
Parham narrowly missed 10th double-double of the season, finishing with 16 points to go along with nine rebounds. Samabaly had a career high 14 points, while Brown also added 14. Webb led the Wildcats with 14.
UMES will face Norfolk State in their next matchup, hosting the Spartans on Saturday, February 19 at 4:00pm.
