Box Score

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team fell short on Wednesday night, losing by a final score of 69-60. The Hawks (8-9) could not sustain any momentum in a choppy second half despite a career night for senior forward Mike Myers.

In their first game of the new year, UMES got off to a solid start, opening up a 9-1 lead in the first three minutes. At the 13:37 mark, UMES led 13-7, but the offense stalled out as senior point guard Ishaq Pitt (Brooklyn, N.Y.) picked up two early fouls. NJIT went on a 24-5 run over the next twelve minutes, building a 13-point lead. The Hawks finished the first half with a 6-0 run of their own, cutting the halftime deficit to seven points.

UMES battled tough in the second half on the back of Myers, as the Camden native shined in his home state. Myers finished the night with his third straight double-double at 29 points and 16 rebounds, both career-highs. Unfortunately, neither team could find much rhythm in the second half as fouls and free throws dominated the action. The two teams combined for 46 free throw attempts in the second half, slowing the game down to a grinding halt. NJIT made enough foul shots to fend off UMES, holding the lead in double digits for the bulk of the second period.

The closest chance for UMES to jump back into the game did not come until the final two minutes. Having whittled the lead down to nine points, Dominique Elliott and Mark Blackmon each missed good looks at three-pointers. As a team, the Hawks were ice cold from long range, finishing the night at 2-of-16 from the three-point line. Beyond Myers' 29 points, no other Hawk had more than seven points, leaving UMES without a secondary offensive option as NJIT keyed on the senior forward down low.

The Hawks fell to 8-9 with the loss, though there were certainly several positive takeaways from the defeat. Despite struggling on the offensive end, the Hawks' showed tremendous second effort, grabbing 23 offensive rebounds. In total, UMES outrebounded NJIT 43 to 24, primarily thanks to Myers' 16 boards. Myers also led the free throw parade, making 11 of 12 foul shots, while the team as a whole was 18-for-25 from the line.

UMES now turns their attention entirely onto league play with their non-conference slate behind them. The Hawks finished with seven non-conference wins, including five victories on the road. The seven wins were the most outside of league play since UMES competed as an independent in 1980-81. The Hawks play yet another road game at Morgan State on Monday, January 12. Tip-off in Baltimore, Md. is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. with pregame coverage to begin at 7:10 p.m. on the Hawks Radio Network.