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Feb. 14, 2004
Princess Anne, MD - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) (6-16, 5-8 MEAC) were determined to break the hearts of North Carolina A & T State (NCAT) (2-20, 2-11 MEAC) on Valentine's Day. They did just that, and it was a big heartbreak for the Aggies who took the Hawks to overtime before falling, 65-58. Tim Parham did most the damage, bleeding the Aggies for 18 points, five in overtime, and five rebounds. He shot six of seven from the field and six for eight from the charity stripe in his best overall outing so far this season. Parham wasn't the only one who was red-hot, UMES shot 50 percent from the field, including 100 percent from behind the arc. Aaron Wellington was shooting arrows tonight, recording 17 points of his own. Tee Trotter was also shooting through the Aggies heart, getting 16 points of his own to go with seven assists. Javes Wiggins had Cupid's wings as he soared to 15 rebounds and eight points. "It was a team effort tonight," said head Coach Thomas Trotter. "They guys are playing for each other and putting it all together at the right time. Hopefully the pieces will fall into place around the [MEAC] and we can move up a few more spots," he added.
NCAT jumped out to an early 2-0 lead but quickly were on the losing end as Trotter nailed a three-pointer just16 seconds after they scored. The Hawks pushed the lead to ten, 23-13 at the 8:32 mark on a Trotter lay-in but the Aggies came right back with a three-ball by Greg Roberts and a lay-up by Steven Koger. Trotter had enough of that as he sank another three-pointer to put the Hawks up by eight. Five minutes later UMES was up 11, 35-24 at the 3:06 mark. NCAT cut the Hawks lead to three, 35-32 with 45 seconds to play on buckets by Abraham Traore, Sean Booker, and Koger. A Wiggins' jumper near the buzzer left it a five-point advantage for the Hawks at the break, 37-32.
The Aggies came storming back in the second half. Fueled by their defense they held the Hawks to only four field goals and 17 total points. They had cut the lead to one at the 17:28 mark on a Christopher Ferguson jumper but the Hawks would run it back to six on a Parham lay-up, Jareem Dowling jumper, and a thundering Wiggins dunk. Both team would go on a four minute scoring drought until Ferguson scored on a base-line drive to cut the UMES lead to four, 47-43. A lay-up by Antoine Joiner, combined with a Wiggins free throw had the Hawks up seven, 50-43 at the 11:53 mark. The scoring went back and forth as UMES was up five with just 3:44 to play. A Brian Faulcon lay-up and a Booker three-pointer would tie the game at 54 as both teams would go scoreless in the last two minutes to force overtime. In the bonus basketball frame Parham, Wellington, and Wiggins would go to work, combining for 11 points and allowing only four Aggies points, all of which came on the foul line. The Hawks came out with the win, 65-58. Booker led the Aggies with 16 points while teammate Ferguson had ten points and eight rebounds. Faulson notched 13 points and five boards. UMES out-rebounded the Aggies, 41-34. UMES continues their busy schedule with the Bulldogs of South Carolina State coming into town on Monday. The game will be a 7:30 pm tip at the Hytche Center. |
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