SUMMARY 

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks opened 2026 and MEAC play with a 68-61 win against Morgan State in the Hytche Center. UMES took the lead through the first half to carry over for the win after a contested second half in which both teams drew even. 

THE SCORE 

Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks (8-10, 1-0 MEAC) - 57 

FDU (1-16, 0-1) - 78 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

Both sides traded baskets and the lead through the first quarter. The Morgan State Bears took the initial lead 25 seconds in, but was matched by Ashanti Lynch on her first jumper of the game. The Hawks took their first lead just over three minutes in as Kaliya Perry completed the and-one opportunity for a 7-6 lead. While Morgan State regained the lead soon after, it was short-lived as UMES went ahead 11-10 on a Dakieran Turner layup before Ashanti Lynch and Jailynn Clayton each hit their own layups to extend the lead to 15-10 with 3:36 remaining. Through the quarter, Turner, Lynch and Brianna Barnes each notched four points. 

The Hawks extended their lead in the second frame as Kalise Hill and Lynch hit early baskets in the first minute to take a 21-15 lead. A trio of free throws and a jumper from the Bears, though, closed the UMES lead to one, 21-20, with 7:09 remaining. Desi Taylor hit a three that was matched by Morgan State, but a pair of layups from Kalise Hill helped give UMES a 28-23 lead with 4:01 left. While Morgan State would get a few more points through the quarter, the Hawks closed the first half with a 38-31 lead as Hill led UMES in the second with eight points while Lynch added another five. 

To begin the second half, Hill impacted the floor on both ends as she scored the first points of the third period for the Hawks and forced a turnover for a Lynch layup to extend the Hawks' lead 42-35. Both sides drew even through the quarter with 16 apiece while Lynch added another seven while Barnes, Perry and Hill added four, three and two points, respectively, in the quarter. 

Similar to the third, both sides were knotted through the fourth with 14 points each. While the Bears scored four in the first quarter to a lone jumper from Lynch for UMES, the Hawks answered with another four with a three from Hill and a free throw from Lynch to maintain the UMES lead at 60-51 with 7:42 remaining. Though the Bears came within five points with 5:33 remaining, a pair of layups from Lynch and Barnes pushed the UMES lead back up to nine before each side was relegated to free throws in the final minute where the Hawks closed out the 68-61 win. 

BY THE NUMBERS 

UMES was led in scoring by Ashanti Lynch with 23 points while she added eight rebounds, three steals and an assist. She shot 10-of-17 (58.8%) from the field for the game. 

Kalise Hill added another 13 points on 6-of-8 (75%) shooting. She also added five rebounds, three steals and an assist. 

Brianna Barnes made the third Hawk to score in double digits as she added 10 points to a night in which she added seven rebounds, two blocks, two steals and an assist. 

The Hawks held a shooting advantage over the Bears as UMES went 27-of-63 (42.9%) to Morgan State's 19-49 (38.8%). However, the Bears put up six threes to the Hawks' two in the effort. 

UMES held the rebound advantage 44-29 while also scoring 16 second chance points. 

While both teams forced their fair share of turnovers with UMES committing 18 to Morgan State's 19, the Hawks scored 32 points off those turnovers to the Bears' 11. 

NEXT UP 

UMES goes on the road to Norfolk State on Thursday, January 8, for a 6 p.m. matchup before the Hawks return home for a 2 p.m. game against Howard on January 10.