MBB Preview: New look Hawks prepare for opening night at Vanderbilt
 

PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland – As the 2024-2025 collegiate basketball season approaches, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team will have an entirely new look come opening night as the Hawks enter their first season under new head coach Cleo Hill, Jr.
 

ABOUT THE COACH

Hired in June, Coach Hill came to UMES after a successful tenure at Winston Salem State. Developing WSSU into a perennial CIAA power, Hill's six seasons as the head man of the Rams produced a winning percentage of .640 while claiming two CIAA tournament titles, two CIAA regular season titles and multiple division titles. With 17 years of head coaching experience, Hill has accumulated 261 combined victories which includes his time at WSSU as well as Shaw and Cheyney.
 
Read more about Coach Hill on: https://umeshawksports.com/news/2024/6/1/mens-basketball-cleo-hill-jr-named-head-mens-basketball-coach-at-the-university-of-maryland-eastern-shore.aspx
 
Listen to Coach Hill talk about UMES basketball on the HBCU Corner: https://youtu.be/-xz9sWgxjIg?si=8TzI01XRiLPjMyj0
 
 
ALL NEW LOOK

With a completely new coaching staff which includes assistants Lance Beckwith, Chuck Ellis and Delorian Heard comes a completely revamped roster. UMES enters the season with 13 new players comprised of three freshman, six juniors, one senior and three graduate students. This year's roster includes:

0        Ketron "KC" Shaw                  G         6-5     195       Jr          Mooresville, NC/Winston Salem State
1        Ralph Martino, Jr.                 G/F       6-6     180      Fr                    Lanham, MD/John Champe HS
2        Hassan Perkins                      G         6-0     175       Jr                  Wilmington, DE/Hagerstown CC
3        Evan Johnson                         G         6-0     165      Gr.                          Durham, NC/Georgia State
4        Kyrell Shaw                            G         6-4     165      Fr          Charlotte, NC/Northside Christian HS
5        Cardell Bailey                         G         6-6     200       Jr                            Detroit, MI/TLAP Academy
10      Jose Cuello                             G         6-1     185       Jr                         Harlem, NY/Wings Academy
11      Jaiden Lee                              G         6-6     195       Jr                       Chicago, IL/Baton Rouge CC
21      Lawrence Foreman                 F         6-9     200      Gr       Kingston, Jamaica/St. Thomas Aquinas
22      Maurice Vassel                       F         6-9     195      Fr           St. Ann, Jamaica/St. Benedict's Prep
23      Trey Hall                                 F         6-9     215      Sr                            Willimantic, CT/Utah Tech
24      Jalen Ware                              F         6-8     195      Gr        Winston Salem, NC/Austin Peay State
35      Christopher Flippin                 F         6-8     240       Jr                             Metairie, LA/Highland CC


 

 
PLAYING TOP LEVEL COMPETITION

The Hawks have constructed a schedule which is considered to be one of the toughest non-conference schedules of any school in the MEAC. UMES opens the season at SEC opponent Vanderbilt on Monday followed by a trip to Ivy League team UPenn on Thursday. In addition to the high-level competition to open the season, UMES wraps up the month of November with the Turkey Throwdown which includes games at Illinois (Big Ten) and Arkansas (SEC) before ending the month at defending national champion UConn on the 30^th. UMES also has a marquee matchup to end non-conference play on December 28^th at Maryland (Big Ten).

MEAC play begins on January 4 against defending regular season champion Norfolk State.

View the full 2024-25 schedule on: https://umeshawksports.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule
 

 
MEAC PREDICTIONS

Defending MEAC tournament champion Howard picked up 12 first-place votes in being named the preseason favorite, while the Spartans of Norfolk State were picked to finish second receiving three first-place votes. North Carolina Central and Morgan State were picked to finish third and fourth, respectively.

South Carolina State and Delaware State tied for fifth, with Maryland Eastern Shore and Coppin State rounding out the predicted order of finish.

The 2025 MEAC Basketball Tournament will be held March 12-15 at the Norfolk Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.

For more information on MEAC basketball, visit: https://meacsports.com/sports/mbb
 

 
FOLLOW THE ACTION

Fans can follow the Hawks all season long on social media as well as visiting UMESHawkSports.com.

X/Twitter: @UMESHawksHoops
Instagram: UMESHawksHoops