PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore picked up its first road victory of the season on Saturday at Howard University and won't have a lot of time to savor it with the second of four games in eight days coming up on Monday (Feb. 7) against Norfolk State.
The Hawks (6-12, 2-4 MEAC) welcome the Spartans at 5:30 p.m. in a single game which had originally been scheduled for earlier in the season (Jan. 17).
Norfolk State (9-7, 5-0 MEAC) is currently in first place in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and is coming off a 102-36 home win against Delaware State on Saturday.
The Spartans are led by senior guard Camille Downs and junior backcourt mate Deja Francis. Down is averaging 13.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while Francis is putting up 13.4 points, 3.1 boards and 2.8 assists. However, in five conference games those scoring averages jump to 22.0 (Francis) and 17.8 (Downs).
Eastern Shore has been in the process of finding its identity this season after missing all of 2021-22 and attempting to marry the returning players from a MEAC Tournament semifinals run with two recruiting classes worth of players who had never suited up in maroon and gray.
The result thus far has been inconsistent, but promising as the young players have developed. Against Howard freshman Ariana Seawell (Bronx, New York) posted a career high in minutes 29, points 20 and added 8 rebounds, two assists and a block.
It was the first 20-point performance of the season for a Hawks squad that has struggled for consistent scoring.
"It makes a big difference," head coach Fred Batchelor said. "She is a special kid. She's got a lot to learn. She is learning and she is really a pleasure to coach. I think she is only going to get better. For me to see her playing almost 30 minutes today — I wouldn't have thought she could play 30 minutes. Those 29 minutes were huge for her to play today. So whatever she did last night and today that her body was able to withstand those types of minutes she has to understand it as a young kid and continue to give us an impact in the paint."
