PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore won a third straight game for the first time this season on Thursday (March 5) by taking down Coppin State 61-46 on senior night at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center.

The reward is momentum heading into next week's March 10, noon matchup with the same Coppin State team n the first round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament.

"It is good to get the win at home," Hawks coach Fred Batchelor said. "At this part of the year is where you really want to get them. They matter most right now going into the Tournament. Now we just have to be ready to play — tournament ready."

The Hawks (8-21, 5-11 MEAC) began the game a little slow falling behind 12-7 at the 4:44 mark of the first quarter after a 7-0 Eagles run.

But junior Bairesha Gill-Miles (Lexington, Kentucky) scored on the inside to end the run and by the end of the quarter, classmate Porsha Sydnor (Chicago, Illinois) had cut it to 14-12 with a layup on the break.

It was the second quarter that unlocked the game for The Shore as Amanda Carney (Old Bridge, New Jersey) hit three of her four 3-pointers on the night and Eastern Shore ran away with the momentum.

The Hawks closed the quarter on a 5-0 run and held 28-22 advantage heading into the half after Carney's third triple.

The third quarter saw a balanced offensive attack as eight different Hawks scored and they outrebounded the Eagles 13-5.

At the end of the third Sydnor's dribble drive at the buzzer put the Shore on top 46-36. In the fourth quarter, Eastern Shore dialed up the defensive pressure holding Coppin to 17% (2-of-12) form the field in the period and pulling away for a 15-point victory.

Carney led all scorers with 12 points to go with four rebounds. She now has 65 made 3-pointers this season and is No. 3 on the Hawks' single season list.

"I think it is good right now going into the tournament getting some momentum where she is able to put the ball in the basket. She was 4-of-9 and I know the last five games she is shooting 50% (14-of-28), which is remarkable and we just want it to keep going."

The Hawks outrebounded a larger Eagles squad 45-37 with Gill-Miles leading the way on the glass with 11 rebounds to go with six points, three steals and an assist. It was her first double-digit rebounding performance of the season.

"That was big for Bunz to battle in there," Batchelor said. "I want to go back to the play she made at Howard to take the charge and help win the game at Howard. She has relished that role and if she continues to do that it's going to be important for us to be successful. She went in and banged with a kid bigger than her and stronger than her. She did a really nice job against an All-Conference Player (Change Graham) as far as limiting her effectiveness and she is just someone you want out on the floor on the defensive end."

Gill-Miles and the other Hawks in the post held Graham to 10 rebounds and seven points.

Sydnor led The Shore with seven assists to go with five points, a pair of rebounds and two steals while turning the ball over just once.

"I thought she made some good play and that's the things that she does," Batchelor said. "She's a junior and that's a kid where we have expectations. Her ability to be able to accept the change in role — moving to the bench — and still come in an influence the game on the defensive end and by finding shooters. She's a good leader. She's a tough kid and she's going to find a way to affect the basketball game."

Bailey added 10 points for the Hawks, while senior Adrienne Jones (Baltimore, Maryland) had nine, four rebounds and three steals.

Eastern Shore held Coppin to 28% shooting from the field, forced 18 turnovers and got 43 points from its bench.

It was the final home game for seniors Jones, Dayona Godwin (Ocean Pines, Maryland), Chioma Nkpuechina (Anambra, Nigeria) and Ksenia Popovich (Moscow, Russia).

Now the Hawks will turn their attention to next week's tournament.

"We have enough experience with this group that we have been there before and we have to take one team at a time and we know who the opponent is and we just had a good scrimmage game against them to get us prepared for another game," Batchelor said. "It will be interesting to see how it looks because we want it to look like tonight just a little crisper."