Jan. 25, 2012
Final Stats
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Junior forward Chelsea Sanders (Rochester, N.Y.) had a game-high 23 points and nine rebounds to lead the University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's basketball team to a 59-45 victory over Lincoln (Pa.) University before 1,189 fans on Wednesday night at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center. The Hawks forced 27 turnovers and outscored the Lions 35-21 in the second half.
UMES (6-11) shot a blistering 12-of-26 from the field in the second half to break open a 24-24 tie at intermission. The Hawks held Lincoln (5-15) scoreless over a seven minute span to begin the second-half as the women scored 10 unanswered points to take a 42-33 lead halfway through the second.
It was a lead they would not relinquish.
UMES began the game hot as the Hawks used a layup by senior forward Adobi Agbasi (Columbus, Ga.) to jump out to a 12-3 lead after six minutes of play. The Lions would awake with a 9-0 run to bring the game to within one, before UMES tallied four points to take a five-point lead, 16-11, with just over five to go in the half.
The Hawks' lead would dwindle over the next several minutes as Lincoln would eventually tie the game at 18 on a three-pointer by Denyse Moore. The Lions would continue their strong play as they jumped to a five point lead, 24-19, with twenty seconds left. The lead was short lived as senior guard Amber Cook (Greensboro, N.C.) made a layup with four seconds left to cap a 5-0 Hawk run and send the game into half tied at 24.
UMES and Lincoln would share five lead changes over the first three minutes of the second-half before a layup by Stewart gave the Hawks a 34-33 lead with 16:20 left in the game.
The Hawks would keep the lead the rest of the way. The squad then went on to post its 10-0 run and would never let the Lions come to within one possession the rest of the way. The Hawks finished out the game on a 6-0 run, four from the hands of Agbasi.
The Hawks were led by the fine performance of Sanders but saw solid games out of Cook (14 points, three assists) and Agbasi (six points, three blocks). Sophomore forward Shanyce Stewart (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) posted tied a game-high with nine rebounds, while eight different Hawks collected steals in the game.
Lincoln, who shot just 3-of-13 from long range, was propelled by Moore (11 points, four steals). Krystal Fluellen came off the bench to score eight points, while Cynthia Johnson dished out four assists.
UMES looks to build on its two-game winning streak, when the Hawks hit the road to face Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference foe, North Carolina A&T University, on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m.
