PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore spent the preseason looking for positives while playing against the likes of Syracuse and Miami among others. As the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference season kicks off Saturday (Jan. 5) with a 2 p.m. game at Morgan State, the biggest positive for the Hawks may be that they don't have to see those teams any more.

"I like where we are," head coach Fred Batchelor said. "We are relatively healthy. We are coming off a win and our seniors are leading us."

Eastern Shore (4-9) also opened MEAC play last season at Morgan State and left with a 63-50 loss.

"They were physical and aggressive," Batchelor said. "They had a lot of seniors on that team last year and they had an attitude. I learned form that and I told my kids I made a huge mistake in regards to trying to play them without being the aggressor. I thought we allowed them to be the aggressor and tomorrow we want to be aggressive and play under control because they will forces you into their type of game."

The Bears (2-12) have just 10 players on their roster and like most teams this time of year have not been totally healthy.

"Numbers wise they have been down, but they had a big win recently when they beat UMass-Lowell at home," Batchelor said. "They have had three consecutive home games, which I think they have taken advantage of getting a win. We don't want them to start out 1-0 in conference play, but it's a tough game for us on the road. They pose a different type of challenge. They are very unique in their style of play."
Batchelor feels like with his experienced group of seniors The Shore will be able to play aggressive and not sacrifice smart to do so.

Senior Ciani Byrom (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) leads the team in scoring (15.3), assists (4.2) and minutes (34.8). She has reached double digits in all but one game this season — a blowout win against visiting Cheyney when she played just 19 minutes.

Classmate Keyera Eaton (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) is red hot lately averaging 18.6 points and 6.0 rebounds over the last five games including a career-high 28 at Mount. St. Mary's. She has pushed her season averages to 12.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game and has been strong defensively as well.

The third fourth-year senior Batchelor will rely on is guard Ra'Jean Martin (Jacksonville, Florida) chips in 5.4 points and 3.6 rebounds along with tenacious defense.

Sophomore Bairesha Gill-Miles (Lexington, Kentucky) is coming off a double-double at UMBC and leads the team in rebounding with 7.4 per game and scoring 9.6 per contest.

Senior JUCO transfer Dominique Walker (Bel Air, Maryland) will be starting her fifth straight game after moving up the rotation. She is averaging 4.5 boards in just 15.5 minutes a game this season.

The Hawks will be without Adrienne Jones (Baltimore, Maryland) — who put up a career-high 16 points at UMBC — and Angelique Taylor (Wachapreague, Virginia) during the contest. Both are out with an upper body injury.

"How I kind of look at it is next person up," Batchelor said. "AJ being out will give Amanda Carney (Parkin, New Jersey) more of an opportunity. I'm going to ride or die with my seniors. Those kids are going to play and then it is the other kids who are going to fill in and the ones that play well will play. I would have loved to have AJ for this game. She has been playing well, but this is what it's all about. Other people have to step up."

Taylor has been playing more minutes recently because of Batchelor's growing confidence in her and someone else will have to take up that slack as well.

The Hawks also have a couple other players under the weather, but that's a common theme this time of year.

"It's nothing nobody else isn't going through,"Batchelor said. "We just have to make the most of it and it's important for the kids who you may not have depended on, but that you can go to. We are excited that we are going to have some kids who are going to be required to contribute."

Following the game at Morgan, the Hawks will welcome Howard to the William P. Hytche Athletic Center on Monday (Jan. 7) at 5:30 p.m.