PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team returns to the nest on Saturday, January 28 to host the Eagles of Coppin State University.
With the women's contest postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within Coppin's women's basketball program, the standalone contest will begin at 4 p.m. at William P. Hytche Athletic Center.
Checking on the Hawks
The Hawks (11-8, 4-1 MEAC) enter the weekend riding high, having won seven of their last eight contests including four straight since January 9. Last time out, UMES stunned North Carolina Central in Durham to escape with a 59-58 victory.
Zion Styles leads UMES in scoring on the season, averaging 10.9 points per game while ranking second on the squad in rebounding (3.3) and first in steals (32). Da'Shawn Phillip is right behind, scoring 10.3 on average while ranking third in rebounds (3.0).
After missing the first six games, Kevon Voyles continues to spark the Hawk offense. The senior guard has averaged 12.2 points this season on 49.2 percent shooting, the best clip of any Hawk with at least 100 attempts.
Nathaniel Pollard Jr. continues to fill his role as the team's top rebounder, hauling in a crucial eight rebounds per contest. Pollard also ranks fourth on the team in scoring at 8.9 points per game.
Tuka Nugent was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week on January 24, a deserving accolade for the graduate guard who recorded six steals in Monday's heart-stopping comeback.
The Hawks have held their spot as one of the nation's most disruptive defenses. As of January 27, UMES has averaged 10.7 pickpockets per contest, tied for second in Division I. They also slot in 12th in the country with 17.8 turnovers forced per game, a number that has led them to a top-30 turnover margin this year (+3.5).
Scouting the Eagles
Coppin State enters the matchup at 6-16 on the season and 1-4 in conference play.
While the Hawks have won four straight after dropping their MEAC opener, the Eagles have seen the inverse, dropping four straight league games after winning their first against South Carolina State on January 7.
The Eagles are headlined by redshirt senior guard Sam Sessoms. Sessoms, a transfer from Penn State, has served as the MEAC's top scorer all season at nearly 22 points per game. Sessoms ranks eighth in scoring and seventh in shot attempts in the nation. His nine-point effort against Morgan State on January 14 was the first time this season he finished a game below double-digit points.
The second half of Coppin's backcourt tandem is redshirt sophomore guard Nendah Tarke. Tarke is the team's leading rebounder and second-best scoring option, posting 6.1 rebounds and 12.7 points per effort.
The Eagles have one of two defenses in the MEAC to allow 80+ points a night. Despite scoring just under 74 per game, the MEAC's seventh-ranked scoring defense (85.8) pushes Coppin to a -12.3 scoring margin on the year.
"Coppin has a ton of talent and we need to be ready for an intense battle," Hawks coach Jason Crafton said. "Happy to have our students back on campus after a long break."
