EMMITSBURG, Maryland — University of Maryland Eastern Shore head coach Fred Batchelor has never faced Mount St. Mary's first-year head coach Antoine White, but he's plenty familiar with the program and the position The Mount is in as the two programs meet for the 19th time on Saturday (Dec. 18) at 1 p.m. at Knott Arena.
"They have a first year coach and they are a team that is establishing an identity," Batchelor said. "They are scrappy, tough and they have been in most games and come up short. I think they are very similar to us in a lot of ways and they play hard. That's what I have been impressed with. Ultimately, I think the team that wants this win the most and plays the hardest to get it is going to be successful."
Eastern Shore is still finding itself as well and battling through a strong nonconference slate after a year's hiatus because of the COVID Pandemic. While the Hawks (4-6) are coming off a stretch of playing seven of nine games at home The Mountaineers (1-7) played six games on the road since Nov. 13, but have also strangely not played in 11 days.
With just four games remaining before the conference slate begins, the coaching staff is hoping the Hawks can pick up a second Division I victory ahead of a schedule turn that takes them to East Carolina and West Virginia before the New Year. It won't be easy, but it's a game they've come out on top in before.
"We have been fortunate to play each other probably every year," Batchelor said. "I remember losing some close games and I remember winning some close games. This is probably one of the most even consistent nonconference battles that we played since I have been here. I can't think of another school that we played almost every year."
The Hawks and Mountaineers have played each other 10 times since the 2010-11 season. The Mount holds a 6-4 advantage. However, The Shore has won four of the last six matchups and the last two in a row.
"I thought we came up here three years ago and stole one," Batchelor said. "Keke (Keyera Eaton) had 28 in that game and they had a great player that was really tough to guard. I loved what they ran offensively and we were fortunate to get a win up there and then last time at home."
In that one at home, Eastern Shore looked like it could be headed to a runaway victory at home against Mount St. Mary's on Dec. 14, 2019, but a fourth-quarter run by the Mountaineers erased what was at one time a 17-point lead. In the end, the Hawks needed a career performance from then junior Amanda Carney (Old Bridge, New Jersey), and some very timely shot making including Porsha Sydnor's bank in the lane with 1.5 seconds left to come away with a 78-76. Carney put up a career-high 25 points to go with seven rebounds, an assist and a steal.
In the present, Carney leads the Hawks in scoring with 9 points per game and has reached double digits in each of the last four games. Mahogany Lester (Virginia Beach, Virginia) is shooting 55% from the field and has reached double digits in scoring in two of the last three games. She also leads the Hawks in rebounding with 4.7 per game.
The Mountaineers present a defensive challenge for the Hawks as 5-foot-10 graduate student Kendall Bresee leads the team in scoring (11.9), rebounding (6.7), assists (4.0) and blocks (0.9), but does so from that of a point forward more than a guard. The Mount doesn't have a lot of size, but will still make the Hawks work hard on the glass and on defense to get the win.
"They have a lot of interchangeable players and they can have four guards out there at times, which makes them hard to guard" Batchelor said. "They have multiple kids who shoot the ball efficiently from the 3-point line, so you have to go out and guard them and try to stay in front of them and stay disciplined to our defensive principles and how we want to guard them."
As the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference season approaches, Batchelor doesn't expect his team to be prepared just yet. What he does expect to see on Saturday is effort.
"It would be nice to play well," Batchelor said. "You can only hope for that, but one thing you can control is how hard you play. That is going to be our focus — to play as hard as we possibly can."
NOTES FROM THE NEST
Amanda Carney increased her career total of 3-pointers made to 119, passing former teammate Ciani Byrom (2015-19) and moving into 7th place on the all-time list.
In the second halves of six games against Division I opponents, the Hawks have been outscored by just 8 total points. The first half has been a different story as slow starts have put them in a 28-point hole.
