PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore hasn't faced off with Coppin State since the 2019-20 season when the Hawks won two of three games including one in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament.
The two roster shave changed since then, but one thing is still the same. Coppin is big and that presents a challenge for the Hawks.
"I look at their size, their interior depth and production from those bigs as key," Hawks coach Fred Batchelor said. "They are some of their top scorers and rebounds, so we'll be challenged to hold our own against them on the other end of the court, but we have to take advantage of our strengths on the offensive end of the floor."
The Hawks (5-10, 1-2 MEAC) will look to get up and down the floor, use the midrange game and screen-and-roll to try and bring that size away from the basket.
"But we have to capitalize on our opportunities," Batchelor said. "We can't go up there and not put the ball in the basket and expect to beat a team on the road unless they are going to shoot as bad as we did at home against South Carolina State (28%) which I don't think anyone is capable of doing."
Junior 6-foot-4 center Jaylinda Salley has started 16 games for the Eagles (8-9, 2-2 MEAC) and is averaging 7.8 points and 6.3 rebounds on the inside, while Jaia Alexander — a 5-foot-11 graduate transfer guard from Butler — leads the team in scoring (15.4) and rebounding (7.4).
"We are going to have to play one of our best games on the road," Batchelor said. "We have not won a road game this year, so this is a great opportunity for us in our first road conference game."
Eastern Shore will continue to utilize the starting lineup that it did during Monday's home victory against North Carolina Central. Graduate student Amanda Carney (Old Bridge, New Jersey), senior Taylor Clayborne (Upper Marlboro, Maryland) and junior Mahogany Lester (Virginia Beach, Virginia) will start along with junior Mya Thomas (Chesapeake Virginia) and sophomore Cache' Wilson (Baltimore, Maryland).
Senior Brooklyn Bailey (Rock Hill, South Carolina) played her best game of the season in a reserve role against Central.
Thomas, Clayborne and Bailey all scored in double-digits that game, while freshman Ariana Seawell had her first career double-double coming off the bench as well.
"I think the energy Monday was good and the game prior I liked the way we played other than not putting the ball in the basket," Batchelor said. "We need to get off to a good start. It would be nice to score at a competitive pace and we have got to make free throws on the road.
"But I think the biggest thing we are going to have to do is to show a whole bunch of aggression on the glass. We have to be savages on the backboard in order for us to take a game from someone on the road. That is the one area I am choosing to focus on because that's all energy."
