PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore will open the 2021-22 basketball season on Tuesday (Nov. 9) at 5 p.m. against Saint Joseph's University at Hagan Arena. The game will be available on ESPN+.

It will be the team's first official game since a win against No. 1 seeded Bethune-Cookman in the 2020 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament. Now, 20 months removed from that upset win, the Hawks and head coach Fred Batchelor find themselves with nine players back from that roster and with the addition of two talented recruiting classes — even more depth.

"I don't know that I'm going to need some kids to play 30 minutes," Batchelor said. "I'm thinking that [Bairesha Gill-Miles (Lexington, Kentucky)] for example is more valuable at a high level at 24 minutes than playing 30 plus. I think, this year, you are going to see a lot of 20-minute kids, especially early on and until we find our way. We are really deep with a lot of good solid bodies."

Gill-Miles, is expected to start on the front line along with junior Mahogany Lester (Virginia Beach, Virginia) who played just 14 minutes two seasons ago because of an injury.

Amanda Carney (Old Bridge, New Jersey), Brooklyn Bailey (Rock Hill, South Carolina) and Mya Thomas (Chesapeake, Virginia) will make out the rest of the starting lineup.

"This is the first year that those three are going to be playing a full year together on the floor," Batchelor said. "They have been around a little bit, but this is the first full year together. I really anticipate us going through some challenges finding our way early on, but I'm really excited about — lord willing that we are healthy going into conference play — where are we going to be?"

The Shore will face a St. Joseph's team that welcomes back 77% of its roster from a season ago, including 84% of its scoring. The top four scorers last season return to the roster in 2021-22.

Junior Kaliah Henderson is the Hawks leading scorer from last season with 11.4 ppg. She started 16 of 17 games last year.

Graduate student Katie Jekot returns to the floor for the Crimson & Gray for her second season running the point. Jekot finished second on the team in scoring (9.6 ppg.) last season and led the Hawks in assists (4.1).

Junior Gabby Smalls sat atop the rebounding totals for St. Joe's last go around with 6.9 per game.

"I know we are going to defend and have a lot of toughness," Batchelor said. "Coach (Sidney) Raikes has done a great job of instilling a type of defensive attitude and mentality that is about dictating as opposed to reacting."

While Batchelor doesn't question whether his team will defend, he is waiting to see how this new group responds in other ways.

"My major concern is rebounding," Batchelor said. "We have to be the best rebounding team on the floor. We are not going to wow you with great talent. We are going to be solid and we are going to be good at every position.

"But we have to do those little things for us to be successful in order to make up for not having a player that can erase a deficit by themselves."