PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore suffered perhaps its most disappointing loss of the season nine days ago in Dover as the team couldn't find the game that got it to 11 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victories.

The Hawks (15-12, 11-3 MEAC) struggled from the field (34 percent) and from the free throw line (67 percent), while also committing 18 turnovers and making just 25 percent from behind the 3-point arc.

After winning seven straight games from Jan. 19-Feb. 9, Eastern Shore dropped a hard-fought battle at North Carolina A&T State, then returned home to beat Coppin State before suffering the Feb. 23 setback at Delaware State.

The Shore welcomes Morgan State (8-19, 6-7 MEAC) on Monday (March 4) for the penultimate contest of the regular season.

This will be just the third game in the three weeks since the loss to the Aggies — a quirk of the MEAC schedule that has done the coaching staff no favors in keeping the team sharp. Looking to keep the players in a game-ready state of mind, head coach Fred Batchelor decided to bring in officials for and intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday that the team treated like a game.

This is the second meeting with the Bears as the Hawks this season.

On the opening night of conference play (Jan. 5), senior point guard Ciani Byrom (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) scored five straight points in the final two minutes to bust up a 65-65 tie and give the Hawks a five-point lead with 29 seconds remaining at Morgan State on Jan. 5. Classmate Ra'Jean Martin (Jacksonville, Florida) nailed both her free throws with six second remaining to ice the 73-68 victory.

 Eastern Shore had five players in double digits in scoring including Byrom and Martin while Bairesha Gill-Miles (Lexington, Kentucky) finished with a double-double (10 points, 11 rebounds). Senior Keyera Eaton (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) reached double digits for the sixth straight game with 15 points and six boards, and freshman Brooklyn Bailey (Rock Hill, South Carolina), who also chipped in four rebounds on a career night.

Byrom continues to lead the Hawks in with 15.9 points and 5.0 assists per game, while Gill Miles leads the team in rebounding with 7.8.

Senior forward Adre'onia Coleman leads Morgan with 16.5 points and 8.2 rebounds. Junior guard Jihayah Chavis leads the team in assists (2.4) and steals (2.1) per game.