PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore will be going for its sixth straight wins for the first time since 2016 on Monday (Feb. 4) when it hosts Savannah State at 5:30 p.m. in the William P. Hytche Athletic Center.

The Hawks are coming off a 63-43 win at home against South Carolina State and are currently No. 2 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference standings behind North Carolina A&T State.

The Shore (12-10, 8-1 MEAC) has been on fire recently especially on the defensive end where they have held opponents to 33 percent from the field and outscored them by 17.4 points since a tough home loss to Aggies.

Sophomore Bairesha Gill-Miles (Lexington, Kentucky) and Senior Ra'Jean Martin (Jacksonville, Florida) have been the emotional leaders of the defense inside and out, while the rest of the team has stepped up the intensity as well.

"We work on a lot of defensive principles in practice, I think we are really becoming  connected and learning to trust each other really," Gill-Miles said. "I think that is what it is really about — just me knowing if I get beat someone is going to be there to pick up my man. We are learning how to play off each other."

Senior point guard Ciani Byrom (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) continues to lead the way for the Hawks in scoring with 15.8 points per game. While she currently stands seventh on the school's all-time scoring list (1,074), her career-high 12 assists last game vaulted her past Eastern Shore assistant coach Casey Morton (296) into fourth place all time with 303 assists despite missing the equivalent of an entire season due to injury.

"It makes everything easier having a kid like her," Batchelor said. "It really makes our job, not easy, but allows us to focus on other thigs we need to do to be successful and not really worry about controlling the game with the basketball. She does a great job of that. We are fortunate to have a kid who I believe is the best player in the league. And really her leadership has been the thing that is most special with this group along with her play."

Gill-Miles struggled a bit during the early going this season after spending her offseason recovering from a shoulder injury. She was rusty to start the year, but has come around recently — especially on the glass — averaging 11 rebounds and 8.0 points over the last three games.

"We have talked to her a lot about having the proper energy and I thought I saw a difference in her starting at Norfolk," Batchelor said. "She came out and brought the energy right off the bat. I think she is learning. She is a sophomore, so I think her development is understandable. She needs to understand she can't turn it on and off, she has to bring it from the jump and that has been a learning process for her."

Gill-Miles is averaging 8.4 points and 7.8 rebounds just one year removed from her MEAC Rookie of the Year campaign.

The bench has been a key to the team's success with several players playing a role.

"I think it's a big thing," Gill-Miles said. "Coach B (Batchelor) was talking about the role that everyone has to play and that everyone has one big or small. I think that those who have been contributing are doing exactly what they need to be doing — coming in making plays getting rebounds. That has been key for us."