DURHAM, North Carolina— The University of Maryland Eastern Shore entered the fourth quarter against North Carolina Central at McDougald-McLendon Arena on Saturday (Feb. 9), trailing 50-48 in a game that at that point had featured 12 lead changes.

But the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference No. 2 Hawks (14-10, 10-1 MEAC) outscored the Eagles 19-13 in the final quarter to go on to a 69-61 win and set up a showdown at MEAC No. 1 North Carolina A&T State on Monday (Feb, 11).

"At this point in the year, you have to find a way to grind it out and win tough games," Hawks coach Fred Batchelor said. "I thought that is what we did today. We didn't  shoot the ball well — 29 percent from the field and 32 percent from 3. Thank God we made from free throw when we needed them most, but you have to find a way to win basketball games and I thought we did that today with a lot of different people contributing."

As late at the 3:40 mark of the period, the Hawks (14-10, 10-1 MEAC) still trailed by one after a Ciani Byrom (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) free throw cut it to 54-53. After a missed shot by Central Rodnesha Martin, Eastern Shore senior Ra'Jean Martin (Jacksonville, Florida) came up with the defensive rebound and, after getting the ball up the court, found Byrom who drove the lane for an acrobatic lefty scoop layup and a 55-54 lead.

"In the fourth quarter we knew that we were going to pull away," Martin said. "We just didn't know when, so our number one goal was just to keep going and don't let up. Eventually if you just keep going, they are going to break."

Martin then stole the Eagles inbound pass and got it to Keyera Eaton (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) pushed it to 57-54.

"I thought the bucket by CeCe‚ the incredible layup she made and then the steal by Ra'Jean to Eaton where we go up five was the difference in the game," Batchelor said. "That's why I believe in those kids."

A tip in By Dominique Walker (Bel Air, Maryland) pushed the Hawks lead to five and she converted the and-one to make it 60-54. Walker would foul out on the ensuing possession with a team-high 16 points, six rebounds and a steal. Then a jumper by the Eagles' Kieche White made it close again before a free throw by Martin — who was fouled on purpose — made it 61-56 with 57 seconds left.

The Eagles (6-17, 3-7 MEAC) came up empty on the possession and sophomore Bairesha Gill-Miles (Lexington, Kentucky) pulled down her 10^th defensive rebound of the game and was fouled. She converted one at the line to make it 62-56 but Central wasn't done.

They had pounded the ball to the inside the entire game, a departure from what they did in the first meeting in Princess Anne, Maryland and it was paying dividends. They worked the ball inside to Paulina Afriyie who after gaining position on Gill-Miles finished at the basket and drew a foul. Gill-Miles fouled out with 12 rebounds, three assists, one steal and the one point.

Afriyie's free throw cut the Hawks lead to just three again, 62-59. With just 43 second left, the Byrom looked to inbound the ball and found Martin who was immediately fouled with just a second slipping off the clock.

"In that situation, I know that I have to want the ball and I have to be ready to shoot the free throws and knock them down," Martin said. "I can't be scared in that situation."

She calmly stepped to the line and sunk both putting The Shore up 64-59.

"The big thing with her is that she is not afraid of anything," Batchelor said. "She wants the ball, so she is a kid we run a lot of that stuff for. We put our best decision maker taking the ball out of bounds and we want to get it to the kid who I believe is the toughest kid on our team in any situation and that is Ra'Jean. It wouldn't matter if it was a one-point game with no time left, she is going to shoot it just like we are up 20 or down 20."

Central coach Trisha Stafford-Odom called a timeout to advance the ball and set up a play with plenty of time left on the clock. The Eagles inbounded the ball to the top of the key, where an entry pass was made to Afriyie cutting down the lane. Guarding her was freshman Taylor Clayborne (Upper Marlboro, Maryland) who was in for Gill-Miles. Afriyie caught the ball moving to her left made one power dribble toward the right block and went up strong against the freshman, who not only blocked the shot, but came down with it in her hands and got it to Martin.

"At the time, I was just thinking be aggressive, match her energy, beat her to the spot" Clayborne said. "I was putting the team before myself and I knew it was time to make a big play. I knew she was going to go right over her shoulder. It was the same move she does every time and I knew she was going straight to the same spot. I kept my hands up, kept my chest up and I just felt the block."

Martin proceeded to sink both free throws again to push the lead to 66-59 and the Hawks defense along with a handful of free throws and two key defensive rebounds by Ksenia Popovich (Moscow, Russia) got them to the finish line.

The Hawks started off the game getting all the looks they wanted, but were not knocking down any open shots. At the half Martin — who finished with 16 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals — and Walker had combined to make 10 field goals while the rest of the team had made two.

But second half contributions came from all over the roster as freshman Brooklyn Bailey (Rock Hill, South Carolina) chipped in eight points, a pair of rebounds. Byrom finished with nine points and five assists, while Eaton had nine points. Popovich pulled down seven rebounds to go with three points and Clayborne had six rebounds, four points and two blocks in 11 minutes.

The Hawks bench outscored the Eagles bench 31-19 and The Shore held the advantage on the glass 53-40.

"Those kids are just finding way to help us win and that is the difference for us," Batchelor said.

With Monday's matchup finally the next up on the schedule the Hawks had the rest of Saturday to soak in their seventh straight victory before returning to practice in Greensboro on Sunday to prepare for the Aggies.

"I think we just need to  focus and keep taking it game-by-game, play-by-play each time and just focus," Clayborne said. "Each time we come down  and play on the road it is one job and one job only. Beat one team first and then on to the next. That is where we have been and that is where I think we are going to stay — focused."