GREENVILLE, North Carolina — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore will face its fifth straight road contest on Saturday (Nov. 23) as the take on East Carolina (1-4) at 2 p.m.
The Hawks (1-4) are fresh off an 86-43 loss at Virginia Tech, while the Pirates suffered a 50-43 loss at Virginia Commonwealth. It is the team's final matchup before the Thanksgiving break and will be off until it hosts Greensboro College on Dec. 3.
"We need to work on basic things against this team because they are struggling themselves," Hawks coach Fred Bachelor said. "They are 1-4 and they are struggling from the perimeter. For us a big thing is that we are going to have to shoot the ball well to be successful. That is where we have struggled. I expect us to find our way at some point, but I think shooting the ball at a decent percentage gives us a chance as well as competing on the glass and then not doing the things that beat ourselves."
The Shore is shooting just 32% from the field and 27% form behind the arc this season. While the Hokies out rebounded them by a wide margin, the Hawks are averaging 34.4 rebounds a game.
The Hawks have also gotten off to a rough start in most games this season and are being outscored 81-62 in first quarters this season.
While the young team is evolving, Batchelor has been able to focus some on the positives including the emergence of some players.
"I think that in trying to find ourselves with a new group, it is important that we continue to make progress and we do celebrate the small things," Batchelor said. "What we have been getting from Amanda Carney (Old Bridge, New Jersey) has been very encouraging to see a kid grow in your program after three years and I can say the same thing for Porsha Sydnor (Chicago Illinois). That group of kids who we expected to give us something have played well, its just that we have had so many new kids or kids in new roles."
Batchelor counts Bairesha Gill-Miles (Lexington, Kentucky) among that group as well, but she has been out of the lineup with an injury since the second half of the loss at University of North Carolina Greensboro.
"If we can shoot the ball well and compete on the glass, I think that it gives us a good chance on the road against this team," Batchelor said. "Its going to take time for us to come together and to find ourselves."
