Feb. 4, 2012
Final Stats | Photo Gallery 
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Despite forcing its opposition to a 16-percent shooting performance in the second-half, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's basketball team fell to Howard University, 49-36, before 1,004 fans at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon. It was the sixth consecutive game that UMES has limited its opponent to 50 points or below.
Senior forward Adobi Agbasi (Columbus, Ga.) registered four blocks in the contest to inch to within 42 of UMES' all-time career blocks record. Agbasi has posted blocks in 17 of UMES' 19 games this season and has totaled at least four blocks in eight of the past nine games.
UMES (7-13, 4-4 MEAC) raced out to a 7-0 lead in the game, five of which were from junior forward Chelsea Sanders (Rochester, N.Y.). The Hawk defense complimented the offense in the early stages, where the squad did not allow a Howard field-goal through the first four minutes of play.
Howard (16-7, 8-2 MEAC) would come storming back as it posted a 15-2 scoring advantage over the next seven minutes of play to take a 15-9 lead halfway through the frame.
The Hawks used a jumper in the paint by Agbasi and a long-distance conversion by senior guard Kwinnyata Mercer (Mt. Vernon, N.Y.) to take a 16-15 lead with eight minutes to play.
Mercer's basket proved to be the final lead for UMES on the day as the Lady Bison used a 16-6 run to take an 11-point lead, 32-21, with 1:22 left in the half. The run was capped by two free-throw conversions by reigning MEAC Player of the Year, Saadia Doyle.
Sanders would tally a left-handed runner in the lane in the final moments of the half as the Hawks went into intermission down by nine, 32-23.
The second-half was one to forget for both sides offensively as only 10 field-goals were made between the two squads altogether. The squads shot 18-percent combined from the floor in the last frame.
A layup by freshman guard Jessica Long (Ft. Washington, Md.) was the only action the Hawk offense saw in the first nine minutes of second-half action. Howard exploited the inefficient offensive performance as the Bison jumped out to a 17-point lead, 42-25, with just over half of the period to play.
A three-pointer by Mercer and two free-throws by Agbasi brought the game to within 12 a short time later. The deficit was as close as the Hawks would get the rest of the way, where Howard would hold steady of its double-digit lead and solidify its hold on second-place in the MEAC regular-season standings.
With the loss, UMES still stands in fifth-place in the MEAC standings.
UMES was guided by the performance of Agbasi, who had eight rebounds, seven points and a game-high four blocks. She came off the bench to register a 3-for-5 effort from the field and was perfect from the free-throw line. Sophomore forward Shanyce Stewart (Mt. Vernon, N.Y.) had a team-high eight rebounds and two steals, while Mercer had eight points and Long dished out three assists.
Howard was aided by the double-double effort of Doyle, who posted 12 points and 11 rebounds. Doyle notched a game-high five steals as well, while Zykia Brown scored 13 points and Cheyen Curley-Payne had a game-high five assists.
The maroon and grey return to action on Monday, Feb. 6, when the Hawks host Norfolk State University at 5:30 p.m.
For complete recaps, results and news of Hawk athletics, please visit www.umeshawks.com
