PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball squad took care of business on Homecoming weekend at the Hytche, soaring past the Lions of Bryn Athyn College by a score of 90-43.
The Hawks controlled the flow of the game, allowing Lion scoring efforts of 21 and 22 points in each half. UMES shot 54 percent from the field and made eight threes in the victory, while cashing in on 14 of 18 trips to the free throw line.
"We showed the ability to make shots and I thought we moved the ball very well," head coach Jason Crafton said. "We rebounded the ball incredibly well and we found a way to give the fans a win on Homecoming."
Zion Styles led the Hawks in scoring for the second time in as many games, narrowly topping fellow guard Chace Davis' 15-point effort with 16 of his own. Styles shot 5-of-8 from the floor and adding six rebounds in the effort.
The two guards totaled 31 of the 45 points provided by the starting five, with the other 45 coming from some solid bench performances.
"We've still got a lot of room to improve," Crafton said. "Some of our starters did not play great, but we had some great efforts off the bench that we were really happy to see."
One of these was Troy Hupstead, who tallied his first double-digit game as a Hawk. He finished with 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting while hauling in seven boards.
"It was good to see Troy play with some energy and pursue basketballs, and to use a game like this to gain some confidence," Crafton said.
Jojo Anderson also had a solid day off the bench, shooting a crisp 4-4 from the floor for eight points and three assists. Tuka Nugent added 10 points, four rebounds and four assists in the win.
Dionte Johnson showed some hustle for the Hawks in his 15 minutes off the bench. He joined Hupstead with seven rebounds, while also nabbing four steals and six points.
The Hawks had 14 total steals in the contest and blocked four Lion shots. They also scored 46 of their 90 points in the paint.
UMES has a quick turnaround, hitting the road for a trip to take on UNC Charlotte on Monday, November 14. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
