Jan. 21, 2008
Box Score
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Five players scored in double figures as the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Lady Hawks rolled through the Spartans of Norfolk State University (NSU) 88-65. Leading by as many 31, UMES never let Norfolk State lead, running a helter-skelter offense that was fast paced and yet in control getting easy lay-ups in transition.
UMES (8-8, 1-2 MEAC) played defense as well, forcing 30 turnovers and out rebounding the Spartans 43-28. Norfolk State did shoot well, 41.8 percent, but the Hawks were better (56.4 percent). That hot shooting meant eight players scoring, five of which were in double figures.
Freshmen Casey Morton (Mardela Springs, Md./Mardela H.S.) led all scorers with 20 points, one shy of a career high, while dishing out six assists, matching her career high. She added four rebounds and a pair of steals. The Hawks' other Eastern Shore product, Brittany Adkins (Millsboro, Del./Sussex Technical H.S.), was the game's second leading scorer with 16, 10 coming on the charity stripe. Her points are a new career high. Adkins grabbed three rebounds and had two assists as well.
"Casey did a great job of attacking tonight, as did a lot of our players," said Head Coach Fred Batchelor. ""I think [Morton] played one of her better games tonight. She showed some leadership and that is what we need from our point guard," he added.
Chena Parker (Poughkeepsie N.Y./Manhattan Center) and Tiffany Reid (Philadelphia, Pa./National Christian Academy) both scored 12 points. Parker was a board shy of a double double with nine caroms while Reid added a pair. Reid also posted three steals and three assists. Parker also added three assists and a steal and a block.
Also in double figures for the Hawks was April McBride (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle H.S.) with 11 points and seven rebounds. She did that in just 23 minutes as she was limited with foul trouble.
UMES jumped out to an early lead 4-0 and ran it to 13 in at the 12 minute mark. They led 20-7 on a Reid jumper. The Lady Hawks would push that lead to as many 25 in the half. They were up that on two different occasions in the half and led 45-28 at the break, up 17.
The Hawk's largest lead, 31 came at the 12:46 mark of the second half when Adkins hit a runner to make the score 64-33. NSU (2-12, 0-5 MEAC) chipped away and got it as close as 17 with 4:11 to play but would get no closer.
"We were penetrating and creating very well tonight," said Batchelor.
The game saw an amazing 55 total fouls and 66 free throw attempts between the two teams. UMES was better than the Spartans on the line, making 23-36 (63.9 percent) while NSU was 17-30 (56.7 percent).
Norfolk State was led in scoring by Raycehelle Payne with 14 while Danelle Tate had 13 and Ebony Gibbs had ten. All three players came off the bench as the substitutes produced 44 bench points to the starters accounted for just 21.
The 65 points is the most scored by NSU this season.
With the win UMES improves to .500 on the season and gets their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference win of the year.
"It's huge to get back to even," added Batchelor. "We needed this kind of win, it is a league win and we did a lot of things right while still having a lot to build on."
UMES hopes to continue that construction with a pair of wins this weekend as they travel to Florida for a Saturday, Monday swing to Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman.
