PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team heads out for its second-straight road contest, this time facing the Patriots of George Mason on Tuesday, December 6. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. from EagleBank Arena.
The Hawks have alternated results over their last five games, with their only consecutive results being a two-game skid against UNC Charlotte and George Washington in mid-November. UMES enters at 3-5 on the season.
Zion Styles continues to lead the offensive charge for the Hawks, averaging 11.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest through eight games. Da'Shawn Phillip has been the most consistent offensive option, ranking second with 11 points per contest and reaching double-digits in five of eight games so far.
The return of Kevon Voyles has helped the UMES offense, as he has averaged 11 points through his first two games of the year. Nathaniel Pollard, Jr. continues to be a consistent presence down low, averaging just over eight points and seven rebounds per game.
Scouting the Patriots
Like the Hawks, George Mason has yet to drop a contest on their home floor, posting a 5-0 record at EagleBank. Of their four losses, one came on the road to Auburn and the other three came on neutral sites in the Paradise Jam.
"George Mason is playing great basketball this year, especially at home," head coach Jason Crafton said. "They have a dynamic inside-out attack that we must strive to neutralize."
That inside-outside attack is mainly composed of senior forward Josh Oduro and graduate guard DeVon Cooper, who average 12.7 and 12.4 points, respectively. Oduro also boasts an average of six rebounds per game, the best mark on George Mason's roster, and leads the team with 23 assists as well.
Cooper has been the team's catalyst from range, leading all Patriots in made threes and three-point attempts while shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc.
The Patriots welcome UMES to Fairfax following an 80-73 victory over Toledo on Saturday, December 3. DeVon Cooper led the charge against the Rockets, scoring a team-high 19 points while sinking three from three-point range.
After a defensive performance at Liberty that fell below the team's expectations, the Hawks will be looking to slow the Mason offense down on Tuesday night.
"We need to get our defense back on track in this game after taking a step back at Liberty," Crafton said. "This game is more about us than them."
