PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore cut within five points of visiting Florida A&M on Monday (Feb. 17) — 70-65 with 3:28 to go. But the Rattlers (5-19, 3-10 MEAC) made their 12th 3-pointer of the contest and converted 8-of-12 from the free throw line over the rest of the contest to pull away and escape the William P. Hytche Center with an 81-71 victory.
"I like the energy and I thought I saw passion," Hawks coach Fred Batchelor said. "I think very rarely do you see a team make 12 threes. I didn't expect them to shoot like that the whole game and to shoot 53 percent on 23 attempt is pretty good and also to get 31 free throws. When you get those type of numbers it's hard to beat anybody. I thought tonight they played one of the best games I have seen them play."
The Hawks (5-19, 2-9 MEAC) had only given up more than 80 points twice this season against Virginia Tech (86) and UNC-Greensboro (86).
"They scored 81 points and it wasn't for lack of effort," Batchelor said. "It wasn't for lack of fight. They shot the ball extremely well and they capitalized in every area."
Senior Adrienne Jones (Baltimore, Maryland) scored a career-high 25 points to go with four rebounds and a steal in just 25 minutes.
"I'm even more impressed that she did it on 10-of-19 shooting," Batchelor said. "When kids get 25 they are usually taking 25 shots. For her to be able to do that off plus-fifty percent shooting that's a good job for her and it's too bad we couldn't give her a win with that rather than in a losing cause."
Freshman Mya Thomas (Chesapeake, Virginia) added 12 points, two rebounds and two assists.
The Hawks started the game slowly going down 6-2 and looking sluggish from the start. But out of a timeout about two minutes into the game, Batchelor pulled all the starters going with a fresh five. They battled eventually tying the game at 8-8. The Hawks trailed 14-12 with 2:38 left in the quarter before any of the starters were back in the game as both Thomas and Jones checked back in.
By the half, every player on the active roster had been in for at least two minutes, with 13 player logging five or more minutes.
"I never played 15 kids in 20 minutes before and I thought it kind of helped," Batchelor said.
Despite keeping it close for the entire game, The Shore never led.
The Hawks shot 43% percent from the field which was well above their 34% pace for the season. They also turned the ball over just 14 times and outrebounded FAMU 39-38.
Bairesha Gill-Miles (Lexington, Kentucky) and Amanda Carney (Old Bridge New Jersey) led The Shore on the glass with six rebound apiece.
Carney's 3-pointer with 5:08 left in the game cut the Rattlers' advantage to 69-63, but also was the 51st make of the season for the junior on 146 attempts (35%). That places her in a tie with Shawnee Sweeney (2014-15) for No. 9 on the all-time single-season record list behind Tiffany Reid (2007-08) at No. 8 with 52.
The Hawks will next travel to Durham to face off with North Carolina Central on Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. Eastern Shore topped 65-63 in their last meeting on Jan. 13 at the William P. Hytche Center.
