The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) is no stranger to the road or the Princeton offense this season. On Wednesday, they face both again as they meet Columbia.

The Hawks (3-13, 0-2 MEAC) have started the season with 13 of their first 16 games on the road before the nonconference season finale in New York. And they've seen a variation of the Princeton style, back-door cut-heavy offense from four of those opponents.

"We played it against William & Mary, Fairfield, American and Georgetown," UMES coach Bobby Collins said. "We have seen it at its highest level and we understand it and we know it. The teams we played were very talented and on the road it has been very difficult."

The Hawks are coming off a 92-58 loss at No. 24 Pittsburgh where they trailed by just six at the half, but were undone by 17 turnovers and didn't score a field goal for the final 11:43 of the game.

"We can't turn the ball over especially on the road," Collins said. "That is the recipe for failure, so we have to take care of the basketball and we have to limit (Columbia) to one shot."

The Lions boast four players who average double digits in scoring. Maodo Lo leads the team with 16.1 points per game and is shooting 40 percent (47-of-117) from behind the arc. Grant Mullins is averaging 12.6 points and has made 33 3-pointers - second on a team that has drained 154 on the season, at a 38.4 percent clip.

"We have to guard the 3-point line," Collins said. "We know they are a very disciplined team and that they can really shoot the basketball. We need to make them have to defend us and we are going to have to throw different types of defense at them to get them out of their Princeton style offense."

Alex Rosenberg (14.1 ppg.) and Luke Petrasek (12.9 ppg.) combine for 9.8 rebounds a game.

"We can't shoot the ball quick and we definitely have to pick them up full court and make them play 94 feet as opposed to just half court," Collins said.

UMES is led by Devin Martin's 17.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

Senior co-captain Dominique Elliott leads the team in rebounding (6.6) and chips in 12.2 points per contest. Junior Bakari Copeland is averaging 9.3 points and 2.2 rebounds. He has scored in double digits in each of the taem's last four games.

"The good part and the beauty of our team is that we are not broken," Collins said. "With this brutal schedule, we are not broken. We are still going, preparing and competing every game. But the road has worn on us and it shows in the second half. We just have to try to put two halves together and come out with a victory."

Columbia has won the two previous meetings against Maryland-Eastern Shore, both in lopsided fashion. The last meeting came on Nov. 9, 2013, a 73-54 Lions win in Levien Gymnasium.

The Lions are 5-3 against teams currently in the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference. Columbia has already defeated Howard on Dec. 28. The Lions have faced North Carolina Central three times, the most of any MEAC foe (0-3).

UMES will return home Jan. 11 for a men's and women's doubleheader against Morgan State.

All games can be heard locally on Fox Sports Radio 960 AM WTGM or on www.umeshawks.com. Brendan Gulick will have the call at Columbia on the Hawks Sports Radio Network.