SUMMARY

NORFOLK, Virginia – The University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's basketball team saw the end of its MEAC tournament run Friday afternoon against the defending conference champion Norfolk State Spartans, in a hard-fought game that was tied five times.

THE SCORE

Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks (19-14)  - 51

Norfolk State Spartans (18-13) - 60

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Spartans took control after the tipoff and scored on the first possession of the game, but Dakieran Turner responded quickly with two points for the Hawks. UMES scored back-to-back field goals before Norfolk State answered with a three-point shot to put the score at 6-5 with just over six minutes remaining in the first quarter. The Hawks posted eight unanswered points over more than three minutes before the Spartans sank a pair of three-pointers. UMES ended the first period with a 14-11 lead over the Spartans.

Norfolk State struck first again at the start of the second quarter, followed by a successful three-point attempt by Desi Taylor to keep the Hawks out in front. A hard-fought second half saw a series of turnovers and missed scoring attempts from both teams - including a scoring drought longer than two minutes for both - before Kaliyah Perry sank a shot with 4:22 remaining with an assist from Taylor. Norfolk State took the lead with 3:06 remaining in the half, and while Ashanti Lynch scored a field goal with 1:57 to go, the Spartans pulled away with a series of points that led to the Hawks trailing 31-25 at halftime.

Kalise Hill scored a layup 30 seconds into the third quarter, and a layup by Turner brought the Hawks within two points with 7:32 left in the quarter. A jumper from Perry at the 5:58 mark brought the game to a 31-point tie before Norfolk State answered with its first points of the half, a three-pointer. A layup from Taylor made the score 34-33 and Turner sank a free throw to tie the game at 34 with 2:49 remaining. The Spartans sank a layup to retain the lead, then a pair of free throws by Lynch tied the game again at 36. Norfolk State reclaimed the lead with a 6-0 run, and the Hawks trailed 42-36 to end the third period.

The Spartans pulled ahead early in the fourth quarter with a pair of free throws, then a layup by Brianna Barnes made the score 44-38. Two free throws and a layup gave Norfolk State a 10-point lead with 6:38 remaining. After a scoring drought that lasted just over three minutes, Barnes sank a three-pointer to bring the score to 48-41 with 4:30 left in the game. The Spartans answered with a layup, but a jumper from Lainey Allen put two more points in the Hawks' column. Norfolk State made a free throw and a layup to bring their lead back to double digits before a layup from Lynch made the score 53-45. Hill sank a jump shot with 48 seconds remaining and Taylor made a free throw with two seconds left, but it wasn't enough to send the Hawks to Saturday's championship game.

BY THE NUMBERS

Desi Taylor led the Hawks in scoring, with nine points. The freshman guard added three rebounds and three steals while dishing out an assist in the game.

UMES' biggest lead was by nine points, and the Hawks led 14:34 of the total game time. 

Lainey Allen and Kaliya Perry each scored eight points for the Hawks. Allen pulled down three rebounds while collecting a pair of steals and an assist. Perry added two rebounds, a steal and an assist.

Brianna Barnes led the Hawks in steals with four while UMES recorded 14 on the day.

The Hawks outscored the Spartans in the paint, 26-16.