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Jan. 9, 2010
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - Junior Tim Burns (Franklinville, Md.) had another solid performance, but it wasn't enough as the University of Maryland Eastern Shore men's basketball team was topped by South Carolina State, 80-67, Saturday at the W.P. Hytche Athletic Center. Burns, who had recently gotten over a bout with suspected food poisoning, scored a game-high 20 points (17 in the second half) on 8-for-12 shooting (3-for-4 from 3-point). He also had four rebounds and one assist. Redshirt sophomore Hillary Haley (Oxon Hill, Md.) and senior Neal Pitt (Fort Washington, Md.) also scored in double digits with 15 and 11 points, respectively. Pitt, playing for the first time in five games due to an ankle injury, also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. UMES fell to 3-11 overall and 1-1 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play, while SCSU improved to 7-5 and 1-0. Inconsistency and poor free throw shooting hurt the Hawks in the long run. The team shot just .424 from the free throw line (14-for-33) in comparison to the Bulldog's .700 (21-for-30). "We played very well in spurts and were very inconsistent," said head coach Frankie Allen. "Every time we got close, we just couldn't get a stop and then we'd shoot ourselves in the foot by turning it over or taking an ill-advised shot. The first half was marked with fouls, with there being 18 combined with under 10 minutes to play until halftime. UMES started with two quick ones by sophomore Tyler Hines (Sicklerville, N.J.) and Haley 30 seconds into the game. Two minutes in, a layup by freshman Sean Berry (Irvington, N.J.) and 3-pointer by Burns tied the game at five. A basket by SCSU's Brandon Smalls put the Bulldogs up by seven with just over 11 minutes to play, but a free throw and then a rebounded lay-in for Pitt brought the score within four at 16-14.
SCSU would go up by eight three times in the remainder of the first half while the Hawks brought themselves within two points with just over five minutes remaining. Going into halftime, the Bulldogs led, 32-25. A dunk by Haley at 17:05 energized a quiet Hytche Center as UMES pulled within three at 36-33. The Bulldogs then rallied off seven points before going up by 10 off of a layup by Jason Flagler. Free throws by junior Kevin White (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Pitt and Haley and a 3-pointer by Burns pulled the score to 44-41 with just over 13 minutes remaining. As was the story of the game, SCSU continued to go up by 10 points before the Hawks came back within range with consecutive 3-pointers by Burns and redshirt freshman Mark Robertson (Lakewood, N.J.) and a layup by White to make the score 53-51, with just under nine minutes to go. The Bulldogs would then go up by eight before UMES brought it back within two at 65-63 with just over four minutes to play. The was the closest the Hawks would get as SCSU went on a 10-point run and eventually was up by 15, before a jumper by Burns with seven seconds left put the final score at 80-67. Darnell Porter led the Bulldogs in scoring with 17 points and seven rebounds. "We were geared up to win this game since it was a home game and we were 1-0 in MEAC play," commented Allen. "Everyone's disappointed, but we have a game on Monday, so we have to come back and prepare for Winston-Salem State." UMES is next in action Monday night with a 7:30 tip at home against Winston-Salem State. |
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