PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore was shorthanded headed into Saturday's afternoon tilt against North Carolina Central University at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center. But that didn't mean there was nobody left to step up.

Looking for their third straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory The Shore was without three players suffering from upper body injuries including 2017-18 MEAC Rookie of the Year Bairesha Gill-Miles (Lexington, Kentucky).

But the Hawks (7-9, 3-0 MEAC) got a game-high 16 points from senior Ra'Jean Martin (Jacksonville, Florida), a double-double 11 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for Dominique Walker (Bel Air, Maryland) and contributions up and down the roster in a 59-49 victory.

"I think it is solid for the program to see that we can depend on other kids," Hawks coach Fred Batchelor said. "We were without Bunz tonight and that took a lot out of us. She is very important to what we do. Not having her tonight took a little bit away, but Taylor Clayborne (Upper Marlboro, Maryland) stepped up, Dayona Godwin (Berlin, Maryland) came in and gave us some minutes — really good defense and good plays. The kids — all of them — are committed to playing for each other and I think that is what you get when you have that."

All 12 active players saw action against the Eagles (3-12, 0-2 MEAC) and nine of them played double digit minutes. Clayborne played 22 minutes off the bench, scored six points, grabbed three rebounds and added a steal and an assist, but made several key plays throughout the contest.

"It reminds us that everybody is reliable while we are playing and it lets people know that you have to always be ready when it's your name being called it's your time to step up," Martin said. "It not just one person."

Clayborne had played just four minutes in the last nine games, while Godwin hadn't seen the court over that span, but found herself entering the game with 8:12 left in the fourth quarter and Brooklyn Bailey (Rock Hill, South Carolina) picking up her fourth foul.

It was a key stretch as Eastern Shore went from down 38-37 to a 43-40 lead, while she was on the court with Clayborne, Walker and senior Keyera Eaton (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) and Ciani Byrom (Winston-Salem, North Carolina).

"It is a team effort," Walker said. "The people on the bench come and give us more effort. You can't just lose hope because one of our great players is out. We have to keep our mind positive, optimistic and keep going at it like we did. We started off really bad, but we realized what we were doing and we started picking it up."

The Hawks went up four in a free throw by Walker, but an offensive rebound finish and free throw by Central cut it to 44-43 before Byrom found Eaton for a 3-pointer and a 46-43 lead with 3:30 to go.

The Eagles answered with a layup and then Byrom found Clayborne cutting into the lane to push the advantage to 48-45 with 2:40 left.

Walker blocked a shot by Central, Eaton came up with the rebound and Byrom's layup made it 50-45. The Eagles hit a three of their own, but Martin hit a jumper for a 52-45 advantage.

N.C. Central answered again, but Clayborne found an open Martin on the wing with the shot clock running down and the senior drained it for a 55-47 Eastern Shore lead.

"Taylor made big plays," Batchelor said. "The pass that she made to Ra'Jean was just the right play to make."

Martin and Byrom each made a pair at the line in the final 49 seconds as the Eagles managed just a jumper.

The Hawks held NCCU to 37 percent from the field and 20 percent from behind the arc, while also forcing 19 turnovers, which they converted to 15 points.

The Shore also got 21 points from the bench on the way to their fourth straight game for the first time since the 2015-2016 season.

"It was great," Walker said. "The bench, we are just surprising all of the time. It is different energy from different people every single game. It's just amazing. It'll make you smile and just want to clap on the court for no reason."