PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore will look to win its fourth straight game when it welcomes North Carolina Central (3-11, 0-1 MEAC) to the William P. Hytche Athletic Center for a 2 p.m. matchup on Saturday (Jan. 12).

The lasts time out, Eastern Shore (6-9, 2-0 MEAC) grabbed a come-from-behind 80-72 win against Howard. The victory was the Hawks first of the season when trailing at the half as well as their first when trailing with five minutes left. The Shore has won three straight and four of its last five games.

"I think we need to continue to work hard and stay focused," Hawks coach Fred Batchelor said. "Even the games we have won, hasn't been because we played great. I thought the greatest of the four wins was the Mount St. Mary's game because I thought that we played well against a very tough team on the road."

In the other three games, the Hawks either let a lead get away from them or got down and had to claw their way back.

"I think our ability to win tough close games, could be an identity trait for us," Batchelor said. "So I think the biggest think is being focused playing hard and being positive and confident in what we are doing."

The Shore's history versus the Eagles doesn't go as deep as some other Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference foes. Eastern Shore leads the all-time series 12-3 with the last Central victory coming two years ago in Durham.

"They have a senior guard averaging 16 a game (Rodnesha Martin)," Batchelor said. "She has given us tough games in the past. When they beat us at their place two years ago, she was the difference, so I know what she is capable of doing. She can score the ball and she is pretty explosive."

In that 68-59 Hawks loss in Durham, North Carolina, Martin had 25 points. But that Hawks loss came without the presence of now senior point guard Ciani Byrom (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) who was out with a knee injury.

Byrom is coming off a 31-point performance in a home victory against Howard. It was the first time a Hawks player reached double digits in scoring since Karona Roach did so against Norfolk State on Jan. 12, 2013.

Her previous career high of 27 was also against the Bison, on Feb. 16, 2016. She is averaging 16.5 points herself and that could set the stage for an epic battle.

Batchelor's other main concern on the Eagles' roster is the play of Junior Paulina Afriyie who notched her fifth double-double of the season in a 67-50 loss to Bethune-Cookman last time out.
Sophomore forward Bairesha Gill-Miles leads the Hawks in rebounding with 7.6 per game and has four double doubles this season. The 2017-18 MEAC Rookie of the Year is averaging 9.5 points.
The Eagles roster features seven freshmen and four transfers (including Desiree Keeling from Rutgers). Just four players returned from last year's squad including 2017-18 MEAC All-Rookie selection Kieche White, Martin and Afriyie.

"They are a new program," Batchelor said. "The coach is in her second year and they have a lot of new kids. They are trying to find their identity. They are learning to play in the MEAC, even as I watched them play against Bethune where they didn't play well for three quarters and in the fourth quarter they made a game out of it. They will be a tough out for us, but I'm glad we are playing them at home and we should be able to take advantage of that."

This is the first of two straight at home for the Hawks. They will meet North Carolina A&T State on Monday (Jan. 14) at 5:30 p.m. before hitting the road for four straight.

"It is nice to be at home," Batchelor said. "I think the kids are committed to playing well at home — not that they aren't on the road it's just that I think we had to learn to play at home. That was one thing we experienced the other night. You don't feel like you have to have the same type of fight as on the road because there you know you are starting 10 points down. At home, we have to find a way to approach the game with the same mentality we have on the road. That is something we have to learn how to do and I'm hoping that these next two games we can kind of find ourselves in Hytche and feel comfortable when we are playing here.

"We have a bit of a challenge before ourselves to win out at home. That's one of the things our kids would really like to do. We have never done it while we have been here. We have been 7-1 before in the MEAC, but we have an opportunity to take care of business and home and I think when you do that you really put yourself in good shape some tournament time."