WICHITA, Kansas -

When the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (0-3) tips off its game with Wichita State (3-0) at The Roundhouse on Sunday afternoon at 3 eastern, it will be the first in a four-game road swing that will see the team travel for 11 days through the Thanksgiving holiday.

There are better ways to start a long road trip than a 1,400-mile jaunt across the country to face a team coming off a 26-9 season and a trip to the NCAA Round of 32. But that is the task facing the Hawks.

Eastern Shore is coming off a pair of road losses to George Washington and Boston College and a home setback against University of Maryland Baltimore County.

The Shockers are facing their second MEAC team in as many weeks. WSU posted an 85-39 win over preseason runner-up pick South Carolina State in the Nov. 11 season opener. They also picked up wins against Long Beach State (92-55) and Tulsa (80-53) and are playing their fourth straight at home to start the season.

This is just the second meeting between the Shockers and Eastern Shore. On Dec. 17, 2006, eighth-ranked WSU posted a 120-46 victory at Charles Koch Arena against a Hawks team coached by Larry Lessett. It was the third-largest margin of victory in Wichita history and the largest-ever against a Division I opponent.

But head coach Bobby Collins is no stranger to the Shockers either. Collins was an assistant coach at Hampton during the 2000-01 season when the Pirates upset the Shockers, 68-51, at Levitt Arena and later stunned No. 2 seed Iowa State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

WSU entered the weekend as one of only four Division I teams allowing less than 50 points per game (49.0). A year ago, the Shockers led the nation in scoring defense at 59.0 per game. Through the first week of the 2016-17 regular season, WSU was also on a short list of 12 schools that are holding opponents to less than 31 percent from the field.

The Shockers are outrebounding their opponents by 18 per game (49 rpg), something that doesn't bode well for the Hawks, who are getting outrebounded by nine rebounds per game.

Wichita is led by sophomore forward Markis McDuffie who is scoring 12.5 points per and 6.3 rebounds in just 18.6 minutes per game

In the team's win against Tulane last time out, McDuffe scored a career-high 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds and fellow forwards Darral Willis Jr. (16 points) and Zach Brown (15) also factored prominently.

Bakari Copeland (Decatur, Georgia) leads the Hawks with 16.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

All games can be heard locally on Fox Sports Radio 960 AM WTGM or on www.EasternShoreHawks.com. Will DeBoer will have the call Sunday on the Hawks Sports Radio Network. The game can also be seen online via Watch ESPN (ESPN3).

Season tickets for the 2016-2017 season are on sale now starting at just $125, for all men's and women's home games. Did you know that a purchasing a season ticket helps all sports at Maryland Eastern Shore, not just basketball? To purchase season tickets, click here. For more information about the 1ticKet Drive, log on to the web at easternshorehawks.com or call 410-651-6499. It's time to show your #HawkPride!