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Jan. 13, 2003 12/31/2002 - "UMES ENDS THE YEAR WITH GOOD EFFORT IN OVERTIME LOSS TO DUKES" PITTSBURGH, PA- UMES was hoping to end 2002 with a win and build some positive momentum moving into the MEAC season. They accomplished half of that objective shocking Duquesne University (6-7 0-0 A-10) today only to fall in overtime 74-71. The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (0-9, 0-0 MEAC) is gaining momentum for the MEAC, losing to Hartford 59-58 on Saturday and today to Duquesne after leading by nine at the half. Tee Trotter led all scorers with 21 points, all of which came in the second half. That leaves Trotter just 12 points shy of 1,000 for his career. Freshman Aaron Wellington was second in scoring in the game with 18, all of that came in the first half. Ali Trotman even led all rebounders with ten. The Hawks were plagued by turnovers as they gave the rock away 27 times. They were saved by the fact that the Dukes had 28 of their own. UMES also led in rebounding gaining a 31-26 advantage. The lopsided stat of the game involved fouls. The Hawks recorded 29 personals to Duquesne's 15. That led to the Dukes shooting 20 of 30 from the line while UMES only managed eight for ten. UMES took the lead at the 14:17 mark of the first half on a lay-up by Wellington. They let the Dukes take it back less than one minute later on a free throw by Brad Midgley after he converted a lay-up and was fouled by Javes Wiggins. Wellington did not let them have it long as 49 second later he would hit a three to give them the lead at 14-12. UMES would run from there stretching it out to as many as 12 points. That would come at the 5:31 mark on a jumper by Wiggins. The Dukes would not go away as Kevin Forney would knock down a three to cut it back to nine. The Hawks would get it back to 11 on a tip-in by Antoine Joiner. Midgley would then get a steal and a fast-break to cut it back to nine. At the other end Kenyatta Rowel would clean up a miss with a thundering tip-dunk to push it back to 11. With 44 second left Ron Dokes would make a lay-up and the half would end there with UMES up 37-28. The second half would see Duquesne regroup and play a box and one defense on Wellington who had scored 18. He would not score in the second half. The Dukes would fight cutting the lead to as few as one but UMES would never let them take the lead. Strong play by Tee Trotter, who netted 13 in the second half, and Ka'Reem Horton, who hit eight, would keep the Hawks in front on the scoreboard. With the lead at one, Elijah Palmer would make one of two from the line to tie it at 60. Thirty-one seconds were left but no one could convert and the crowd of 3,031 would get bonus basketball. This would be Duquesne's second overtime game in a row. They had recently defeated Florida International 71-68 in Miami. In overtime the Dukes would take a two point lead on free throws by Simplice Njoya one minute and twenty-one seconds in. That was their first lead since the 13:37 mark of the first half. Duquesne would build the lead to as many as six but the Hawks never quit fighting. The lead was two after a long two-pointer by Trotter and there was two tenths of a second left on the clock. Instinctively the Hawks asked for time out but had none. Forney then shot the free throws making one of two. The Dukes in bounded the ball and the horn sounded with the final score standing in favor of Duquesne 74-71. Njoya would lead the opposition with 17 points and seven rebounds. Palmer scored 16, Forney 14 and Jimmy Tricco had 12 making it four Dukes in double figures. "Turnovers and fouls really hurt us tonight," said Head Coach Thomas Trotter. "I know they turned it over a lot too, but if we had held on to it a few more times we could have won the game. It also doesn't help that we shot as many free throws as they made. It comes down to making plays. Our guards turned it over too many times, we should have won the game. Our guys are young. We start one senior one junior, a JUCO guy and two freshmen. We play a lot of other JUCO guys. The positive thing is we are learning and getting better. Now we have to get ready for the MEAC. Conference play is the most important part so we have to get ready to win in the MEAC."
UMES will do just that on Saturday when the host Hampton at 4:00 pm in the Hytche Center. They will stay at home for another game on Monday as Norfolk State comes in for a 4:00 game.
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