Box Score

ORANGEBURG, S.C. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team earned another critical win in the quest for a first-round bye in the MEAC Tournament. UMES (16-13, 9-5) held off South Carolina State in the second half for a 68-56 win in Orangeburg, avenging an overtime loss to the Bulldogs in January.

The Hawks came into Saturday's contest with another opportunity for payback, after beating Howard on Monday to split the series with the Bison. Similarly, UMES dropped a heartbreaker at home, 73-72 in overtime, to South Carolina State back on January 19. With another chance for a critical split against a league contender, the Hawks got off to a hot start. Devin Martin (Baltimore, Md.) kickstarted the offense with nine points in the first seven minutes of the game, helping the Hawks leap out to a 14-6 advantage.

After the Hawks established an 18-9 lead, South Carolina State battled back with a 13-5 run to pull within one point. UMES kept the Bulldogs at bay, never relinquishing the lead in the opening half. Mike Myers (Camden, N.J.) cleaned up on the offensive glass to the tune of 13 first-half points and five offensive rebounds. With Myers dominating the paint, the Hawks took a 41-34 lead into the intermission.

Playing at home, South Carolina State refused to back down. The Bulldogs rushed back into the game with a 7-0 run to start the second half for a 41-41 tie. Martin hit a big three-pointer to stem the tide, keeping the Hawks up for the time being. The lead did not last long as South Carolina State continued to apply the pressure, thanks to hot shooting from Ed Stephens. The freshman hit three three-pointers early in the second half, giving the Bulldogs a 51-48 lead with 12:46 to go.

The Hawks put the clamps down defensively, wearing out the Bulldogs down the stretch. South Carolina State scored five points in the final 12:46, with Stephens getting shutout by an incredibly effort from Travis Trim to deny the ball. Over an eight-minute stretch, the Hawks did not allow a point, building a 57-51 lead with mostly free throws. Once Darryl Palmer broke the Bulldogs' drought, Martin immediately responded with a crucial corner triple. With a few more foul shots in the final minute, UMES secured a 68-56 road victory to retain third place in the MEAC.

The duo of Martin and Myers reigned supreme, dominating action just as they did on Monday vs. Howard. Martin finished with a game-high 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting. Myers quieted down in the second half after a busy opening twenty minutes, hustling and outworking the opponent for 17 points, mostly on second-chance putbacks. Mark Blackmon, in addition to bringing intensity to the defensive end, scored seven points off the bench. The Hawks' offense thrived even with quiet nights from sharpshooters Devon Walker and Ryan Andino. More than a one-dimensional team, UMES has proven it can win in multiple fashions.

UMES knocked down 48.0% of its field goals, including a 4-of-10 mark from beyond the arc, a low total compared to a season average of 6.6 three-pointers per game. Instead, the Hawks dominated the paint with the big night from Myers. UMES outscored South Carolina State, 32 to 26 in the lane and 22 to 6 on second-chance points. As a team, the Hawks outrebounded the Bulldogs, 35 to 24 with 15 offensive rebounds for UMES. As a result, UMES got to the free throw line with regularity, cashing in on those opportunities with a 16-for-22 mark (72.7%).

With the win on Saturday, the Hawks have won 16 games, the most for the program since winning 16 games in 1993-94. UMES improved to 9-5 in the MEAC play, remaining in third place with North Carolina Central and Norfolk State winning ahead of them. The victory guarantees that UMES will finish with a winning record in conference play for the first time since the 2000-01 season.

UMES is idle on Monday while the rest of the league plays, with key games played between contenders for the top four seeds and first-round byes for the MEAC Tournament. The Hawks return to action on Saturday when they will have yet another chance for revenge, this time against their rivals at Delaware State. UMES visits Memorial Hall in Dover, Del. on Saturday, February 28 for a 4:00 p.m. tip-off.