PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team plays host to North Carolina Central on Monday, February 19 at the William P. Hytche Athletic Center. Tip is slated for 7:30 p.m. and will begin 30 minutes after the women's game concludes.
The Hawks (15-10, 7-3 MEAC) hold the third spot in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference standings, with the Eagles (13-11, 6-4 MEAC) just behind them. N.C. Central enters as winners of three straight.
Checking on the Hawks
Nathaniel Pollard Jr. has turned his play up to another level against MEAC opponents. Saturday's leading scorer has seen his scoring average and rebounding average climb in the conference season, now up to 12.6 points and 9.1 rebounds.
Pollard has also helped stabilize the offense as of late. He ranks fifth in the country in offensive rebounds per game and he averages 2.8 assists in league action, third on the team behind only Zion Styles (2.8) and Ahamadou Fofana (2.6).
Styles continues to provide energy and intensity for the Hawks, dunking his way to averaging nearly 12 points a night in MEAC play. Da'Shawn Phillip continues to be the team's Swiss army knife, averaging 10.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in conference games while adding 20 assists, 19 steals and three blocks in 10 games.
In his first collegiate start on Saturday, Dionte Johnson provided the Hawks with eight points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists across 24 steady minutes.
Tuka Nugent and Chace Davis have made big shots for the Hawks of late. The backcourt tandem has combined to provide just under 15 points a night in MEAC action and have made 25 threes for the Hawks in that span.
As they have for the bulk of this season, the Hawks retain the top spot in Division I in steals-per-game at 10.8. The group jumped to third nationally in turnovers forced per game (18.4) and 19th in turnover margin (+3.9) after Saturday's win.
Scouting the Eagles
The Eagles hold wins over Morgan, Coppin and Delaware State in the three games prior to Monday evening.
Junior guard Justin Wright led Eagle scorers in the win over Delaware State on Saturday. He was one of four Eagles to reach double-digits in the win.
Delaware State shot 0-of-16 from beyond the arc in the eight-point loss.
Wright has been the team's top scoring threat in conference play, averaging just over 15 points while ranking third on the Eagles at 6.6 rebounds per game.
Graduate seven-footer Brendan Medley-Bacon's 14.6 points a night ranks second for N.C. Central. Medley-Bacon has reached double-digit figures in every conference game so far this season.
"Central is on a roll recently and we know they have great tradition," Hawks coach Jason Crafton said. "It should be an intense game and we look forward to it."
The first meeting between these teams this season was an instant classic. The Hawks scored eight unanswered points in the final 90 seconds of the contest, capped off by a one-handed steal from Phillip which he converted into a go-ahead three-point play to give UMES a jaw-dropping 59-58 victory.
Tickets for Monday's doubleheader can be purchased at www.easternshorehawks.com or at the door.
