PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team will play two more road games on consecutive nights. On Wednesday, UMES faces Mount St. Mary's for a 7:00 p.m. game at Knott Arena in Emmitsburg, Md. The following evening, the Hawks travel down to the Richmond, Va. to take on #15 ranked Virginia Commonwealth.

The Hawks have lost their opening two games of the season, most recently an 81-44 defeat at the hands of the #12 ranked Villanova Wildcats. Devin Martin posted his first double-double as a Hawk, leading the team with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Still, UMES shot just 34.2% from the floor and committed 22 turnovers as a team, two trends that must reverse course before the Hawks secure their first victory. The offensive struggles have led UMES to scoring just 45.0 points per game in their opening two contests.

A matchup with a familiar opponent might help matters for UMES. On Wednesday, the Hawks square off against in-state opponent, Mount St. Mary's. Last season, UMES defeated the Mount by a 78-71 final score back on November 20, 2013. That game prominently featured two guards who no longer play for their respective teams. Hakeem Baxter led the Hawks with 22 points, while Julian Norfleet scored 20 of his 24 points for the Mount in the second half.

Mount St. Mary's finished last season with a 16-17 record, but a surprise run in the NEC Tournament led them to a conference championship and the program's fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Mountaineers opened this season with a lopsided loss to #2 ranked Arizona, 78-55.

On Thursday, UMES will face another ranked opponent, this time #15 Virginia Commonwealth. VCU (2-0) has become a perennial powerhouse among mid-majors, making the 2011 NCAA Final Four. Last season, the Rams went 26-9, 12-4 in the Atlantic 10. Earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, VCU was upset by Stephen F. Austin in overtime in the Round of 64. VCU has already recorded wins against Tennessee and Toledo to begin the season. The Hawks and Rams last played each other on November 9, 2007 when VCU won 70-51 in Richmond.

Hawks fans can listen live to both contests on the Hawks Radio Network powered by SFMSports.Net and the new flagship station Fox Sports 960 AM WTGM in Salisbury, Md. Pregame coverage starts twenty minutes before the scheduled tip-off.

For complete recaps, results and news of Hawk athletics, please visit www.umeshawks.com