Jan. 14, 2012
Final Stats | Photo Gallery 
DOVER, Del. - It was a banner day for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's basketball team on Saturday afternoon as the Hawks used their most efficient shooting performance of the season to collect a 69-56 victory at Delaware State University. The victory over the Hornets moves the Hawks into a temporary three-way tie for fourth-place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
UMES (4-10, 2-1 MEAC) was guided by the phenomenal performance of senior guard Amber Cook (Greensboro, N.C.), who had a career-high 21 points with six rebounds, three steals and an 11-for-11 effort from the free-throw line. Her performance helped enable to Hawks to post season-highs in several offensive categories, including points (69), field-goal percentage (43.2 percent), free-throws made (29) and free-throws attempted (35).
Delaware State (3-13, 0-3 MEAC) opened the contest by scoring the first four points and held a five point lead, 14-9, lead after eight minutes of play. After the two teams traded a pair of baskets, UMES would go on a 7-2 run over the next three minutes to move to within three with 7:30 remaining in the half.
The teams shared scores over the next minute before UMES posted its first lead of the game on the tail end of two consecutive Cook free-throws conversions. Her effort moved the decision in the Hawks' favor, 28-27, with two minutes left.
DSU would drive down the court and regain the lead, but junior guard Karona Roach (Bear, Del.) buried a jumper from the left baseline to send the Hawks into halftime with a one-point lead, 30-29.
Cook led all scorers with 10 first-half points. The Hawks were aided from a 9-for-23 performance from the field in the half.
The squads locked up in a draw through the first five minutes of second-half play, before a jumper by Roach gave the Hawks a 40-39 lead at the 14:15 mark. The jumper proved to be the final lead change in the ballgame as UMES went on a 9-2 run over the next four minutes to take a commanding eight-point lead halfway through the second.
DSU was not ready to give up its fight just yet as the Hornets battled for the next four minutes of play. The Hawks posted their third big run of the game when they scored eight unanswered points, five by senior forward Chelsea Sanders' (Rochester, N.Y.) and three consecutive by Cook, to post a 13-point lead, 60-47, with 4:15 to go.
The maroon and grey would continue to have their way with the Hornets the rest of the way as they posted leads of 16 points three times over the final three minutes. UMES tallied its final seven free-throw chances to cement the victory and move head coach Fred Batchelor to within two of 100 in his career at UMES.
UMES was paced by Cook's career-high effort, but saw several other impressive performances as well. Roach collected a season-high 13 points and Sanders (20 points) notched her third game this season with at least 20 points. Sanders has now tallied 10 games this season with double-digit points. The defense was led by senior forward Adobi Agbasi (Columbus, Ga.), who had four blocks to collect her seventh game of at least three blocks.
DSU was spearheaded by the performance of Tasia Bristow, who had a team-high 15 points and four rebounds. Kianna D'Oliveira had 10 points and eight rebounds, while Deanna Harmon had two assists.
UMES will return home for its next contest when the Hawks host MEAC foe, Florida A&M University, on Saturday, January 21 at 2 p.m. The game will be the first of three consecutive home matches for the women.
