Feb. 6, 2004
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The Men's Game
The UMES men's basketball team begins a short two-game road trip with a MEAC contest against the Delaware State Hornets Saturday afternoon. The Hawks (3-15, 2-8 MEAC) are coming off a heartbreaking 71-70 double-overtime loss to Bethune-Cookman Monday.
The Hornets come in with a 7-3 conference record, but have lost two of their last three games including an 18-point road loss to South Carolina St. Monday. Still, Del. St. is currently tied for second place in the MEAC behind SC St. (8-2).
Scouting the Hornets
The Delaware State Hornets come into Saturday's MEAC-contest against the Hawks at 8-10 and 7-3 in MEAC play. The team last played Monday and lost at South Carolina St 60-42, dropping them out of a first-place tie in the conference with the Bulldogs.
The Hornets, coached by Greg Jackson, beat UMES 60-55 in a tightly-contested game in Princess Anne back on January 3rd. Delaware State scored the final five points in the contest to take the win, led by Terrance Hunter who scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds.
Delaware State played well against tough non-conference competition, including road losses at UNLV by six points, at Georgetown by nine and at Michigan by five. Hunter is the team's leading scorer and rebounder coming in (12.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg), and is the only player averaging double-figures in points.
News and Notes
Tee Trotter was named MEAC Player of the Week for his efforts in four games last week, in which he averaged 27 ppg (including 18 of 37 3's). The Hawks went 2-2 in those contests....After going eight straight games without scoring more than 55 points in a contest, UMES has now scored over 62 points in five of its last six games since. The Hawks are averaging 66 ppg during that stretch, after averaging 52 ppg on the season up to that point...This season UMES has bettered its start to that of '02-'03 after 18 games (3-15, 2-16). The Hawks won their third game on game number 19 last season...The Hawks have struggled from the field so far this season, coming into play Saturday shooting only 37% as a team in '03-'04...The Hawks have two family connections between players and coaches. Tee Trotter is head coach Thomas Trotter's son, while center Tim Parham is a cousin of assistant coach Paris Parham.
Double-OT Thriller
Diondre Larmond hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer at the end of the first overtime, then hit the game-winning three-ball with two minutes left in the second overtime period to lift Bethune-Cookman College to a 71-70 double-OT win over UMES Monday.
Larmond, who hit an off-balance three from the wing as time expired in the first extra period, then hit an open triple from the right corner to give BCC (4-14, 3-6 MEAC) a 71-68 advantage in the second OT. With time running down and the Hawks ((3-15, 2-8 MEAC) still down by three, Tee Trotter missed an off-balance three, but the rebound was tipped in by Didier Socka with 1.4 seconds on the clock. UMES couldn't steal the ensuing inbounds pass and the Wildcats ran out the clock.
In first overtime the two teams battled back and forth, with each scoring on its first six possessions capped by a Jareem Dowling three-pointer form the left wing that gave the Hawks a 63-62 lead with 31 ticks on the clock. Then after Pape Ba missed a fadeaway jumper and Trotter made two free throws, UMES had a three-point advantage with seven seconds left. Larmond took a pass from O'Neal Carter however and drained the trifecta at the buzzer to keep the game alive and break the Hawks' hearts.
UMES ROSTER AT A GLANCE
Probable Starters
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG
1 Tee Trotter G 5'11 180 Sr. 17.2 2.1
23 points (6-17 FGs) in 39 min vs. BCC...Only Hawk to start every game...Scored season-high 36 pts (12-21 FGs, 7-12 3's) at FAMU 1/31 (most pts scored in game by a Hawks player this season)....Second in MEAC in scoring last season (20.5 ppg)...MEAC second-team preseason selection, and candidate for Francis Pomery Naismith Award (for the nation's best player under 6'0).
32 Aaron Wellington G 5'11 160 So. 11.4 3.0
16 pts (7-14 FGs) vs. BCC...Scored season-high 23 pts (6-11 FGs), 18 coming in the second half at Sav. St 1/29...Team's second-leading scorer this season...Hawks' second-leading scorer in '02-'03...Pure shooter with knack for scoring.
44 Jareem Dowling F 6'6 235 Jr. 4.1 2.6
5 pts and 6 rebs in 42 min vs. BCC...Tied career-high with 12 pts (5-9 FGs) in 35 min vs. Morgan St. 1/27...Shooting 25-84 FGs (30%) this season (8-37 3's)...Transfer from Cecil C.C. averaged 11 points and 6 rebounds in '02-'03.
33 Didier Socka F 6'7 225 Sr. 3.2 2.6
Scored career-high 17 pts (8-10 FGs) and pulled 6 rebs in 19 min vs. BCC...Started first two games of season, came off bench in every game since....Returning leader in FG % (47%) and blocked shots (15) from '02-'03.
42 Tim Parham C 6'9 240 Jr. 5.7 3.4
0 pts (0-5 FGs) and 2 rebs in 26 min vs. BCC...Scored 20 pts (8-10 FGs) vs. PSU 12/27 (only 2nd D-I game)...Junior-college transfer joined team 12/20 after end of fall semester...Brings size and strength to Hawks' post game.
Reserves
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG
3 DeWitt Scott G 6'6 200 Fr. 4.0 2.2
DNP last 4 games after starting 3 of the previous 4 games...Set new career highs with 9 pts and 11 rebs at Norfolk St. 1/17...True freshman from Chicago.
4 Javes Wiggins F 6'7 220 Sr. 4.5 5.5
Season-high 13 pts, 6 rebs vs. Morgan St 1/27...Leads team in rebounding...Was team's leading rebounder in '02-'03, also third-leading returning scorer.
5 Lawrence Smith G 5'10 150 Jr. 0.5 0.5
0 pts, 1 asst in 14 min vs. BCC...4 pts and 3 assts in 20 min vs. Morgan St 1/27 (were first pts in his last nine games)...Defensive specialist with quick hands.
10 Marcus Gutierrez G 6'4 185 So. 1.3 1.3
DNP (coach's decision) last five games....Scored career-high 6 pts (3-5 FGs) in 12 min vs. Del St...Added to roster following conclusion of fall semester.
13 Kirk Wesley F 6'3 190 Sr. 0.6 0.1
Has seen limited action off the bench in nine of the team's first 18 games...All 5 pts this season from foul line...Hard-nosed player with athletic ability.
14 Jermaul Akanbi G 6'2 165 So. 0.8 0.3
Has played in 4 games this season...Scored first FG of the season vs. Coppin State 1/24 (2 pts, 1 asst)...still growing into his ability as a D-I player.
21 Antoine Joiner F 6'5 180 Jr. 3.6 2.7
5 pts and 3 rebs in 40 min vs. BCC...Hit GW FTs w/ 9 sec. left at Sav. St. 1/29...Season-high 13 pts v. Del St 1/3...Shooting 18-58 FGs (31%) this season.
23 Carl Pruitt (Tony) F 6'6 215 Jr. 2.6 1.6
Has not scored since MD game (15 total min played), fighting ankle injury...Scored career-high 10 pts (4-10 FGs) at UMD, and 29 pts in exhib. game 11/14.
25 Brandon Wilson G 6'4 190 R-Fr. 1.2 0.8
0 pts (4 min) vs. BCC...Scored 2 points at Sav St (only pts since 1/6 at MD)...Scored career-high 6 points at Ill...Red-shirt freshman from Long Island, NY.
35 Shondale Robinson F 6'5 200 So. 0.0 0.8
Played career-high 12 min at S. Car St. (0 pts, 3 rebs, 2 blks)...Brother Cedrick Rashaw played at UMES, finishing his playing career in '99-'00.
55 Jason McKinnon C 6'11 270 Jr. 2.6 3.1
0 pts combined in the last ten games in only 44 min (4 starts, 4 DNP)...Has started 9 of 18 games...Had only double-double (11 pts, 11 rebs) at RMU...Was one of conference's top big men at Kennedy King J.C. in '02-'03.
UMES Hawks (3-15, 2-8)
Previous games:
Date Game Result
11/2 Tm. Champ. (ex) W 58-54
11/14 One on One (ex) W 88-78
11/23 at Auburn L 61-85
12/11 at Illinois L 43-85
12/21 at Robert Morris L 63-70
12/27 Portland State L 61-80
12/30 Towson L 53-61
1/3 Delaware State* L 55-60
1/5 Howard* L 50-70
1/6 at Maryland L 38-87
1/10 at N.C. A&T* W 52-50
1/12 at S Carolina St* L 53-78
1/14 at Elon L 51-54
1/17 at Norfolk State* L 54-67
1/19 at Hampton* L 62-75
1/24 Coppin State* L 42-68
1/27 Morgan State* W 85-72
1/29 at Savannah St. W 62-61
1/31 at Florida A&M* L 74-79
2/2 Bethune-Cook.* L 70-71 (2OT)
Upcoming schedule:
Date Game Time
2/7 at Delaware St.* 4:00
2/9 at Howard* 8:00
2/12 Savannah State 7:30
2/14 N.C. A&T* 4:00
2/16 S. Carolina St.* 7:30
2/21 Norfolk State* 4:00
2/23 Hampton* 7:30
2/28 at Coppin State* 7:30
3/1 at Morgan State* 7:30
3/8-12 MEAC Tourn. TBA (Richmond, VA)
*denotes MEAC conference game
Thomas Trotter- Head Coach
Head Coach Thomas Trotter is in his fourth season at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. After a 5-23 season in 2002-03 and a 3-15 start this season, Trotter has a 31-72 overall record (.301 win pct.).
Before his stint at UMES, Trotter was the first assistant men's basketball coach at New Mexico State University from 1998-2000 under legendary coach Lou Henson, who is currently the 7th winningest Division I coach in NCAA history.
NMSU made postseason appearances in each of Trotter's two seasons as a coach, winning the Big West Championship and losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to 3rd seeded Kentucky in 1999, then reaching the NIT in 2000 and falling to Arizona State in the first round.
For a ten-year span (1988-97), Trotter served as the first assistant men's basketball coach at Northeastern Illinois University, the winningest Division I program in Chicago three out of Trotter's final four years as a coach. Before his time at NEIU, Trotter spent two seasons coaching at the high school level.
Coach Trotter received his Bachelor of Arts degree in labor relations in 1985 from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. In 1992 he obtained a Master of Science in educational administration, then in 1994 he obtained a Master of Science Education in education curriculum and instruction, each from Northwestern University.
Assistant Coaches
Paris Parham- Assistant Coach
Third-year assistant basketball coach Paris Parham came to UMES from Minnesota State University, where he served as an assistant coach from 1995-2001. 'Coach P' also served as assistant to the athletic director and a coordinator for the Maverick Academic Center at Minnesota State.
Parham was a player at Lincoln College in Lincoln, IL, where he served as team captain in both of his playing seasons. He then went on to play at Minnesota State from 1993-1995, and was selected team captain in 1995. Parham was an all-conference selection in the North Central Conference that season. He ranks eighth all-time at Minnesota State in career assists.
Brian Kusnierz- Assistant Coach
Coach Brian Kusnierz is a third-year assistant coach with the UMES basketball program. He was previously at Concordia University in River Forest, IL, where he served two seasons as an assistant coach.
A three-year starter at Angelo State University in Texas, Kusnierz served as team captain for the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons. An all-conference selection in 1998, he was voted as the team's Most Valuable Player. He finished his playing career ranked in the school's top three list in assists and steals.
The Women's Game
The UMES Lady Hawks play their 6th game in 12 days Saturday as they travel to Dover to play the conference-leading Delaware State Lady Hornets. The game tips off at 2:00 from the Alumni Gym.
The Lady Hawks, winners of three out of five during this busy stretch, are coming off an 80-73 non-conference win against American Wednesday. The Lady Hornets lost only one game in the first go-around through conference play, a six-point defeat at second-place FAMU. The team opened conference play with a thrilling 52-50 win over UMES on January 3rd, as Jamila Griffith missed a short jumper for the Lady Hawks as time expired that would've sent the game into OT.
News and Notes
In spite of the Lady Hawks' poor conference record, all eight of the team's MEAC losses have come by 9 points or fewer. The team has led in the second half in 7 of those 8 losses..After a slow start to the season, UMES guard Laconia Hatcher has caught fire. Hatcher was named MEAC Player of the Week last week, after averaging 15.2 points per game, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in four games. The junior college-transfer, who failed to score double-figures in any of the first five games, has scored in double-figures in 12 of the team's 13 games since, and is now the second-leading scorer at 12.3 ppg....Tiffany Winkfield has now recorded a double-double in 11 of the Lady Hawks' 18 games this season. The senior is leading the team with both 14.3 ppg and 11.1 rpg....The Lady Hawks have been a second-half team in '03-'04. Despite the team's losing record, UMES has out-scored its opponents 586-583 in the second half this season.
Soaring Past the Eagles
Erica Bennett scored a career-high 24 points, while Tiffany Winkfield added 16 points and a career-high-matching 20 rebounds to lead the Lady Hawks to an 80-73 non-conference victory over the American University Eagles at the Hytche Center Wednesday. The Lady Hawks (6-12, 2-8 MEAC) placed four players in double-figures and out-rebounded American (10-10, 5-2 Patriot) 47-29 in a game they dominated for most of the contest. UMES led 40-32 at halftime and built a lead as large as 19 in the second half before holding on for the seven-point win.
Bennett shot 9-15 from the field and 5-6 from the foul line en route to besting her previous career-high of 20 set last week at Savannah State. Winkfield, who returned to the starting line-up after coming off the bench for the first time all season Monday against Bethune-Cookman, shot 8-14 on field goals and had four assists in addition to the 20 boards, matching her career-best total set at Arkansas-Little Rock last season.
After UMES built the lead to 68-49 with 7:44 left, the Eagles turned up the intensity and closed to within five points by going on an 18-4 run in the next four minutes, bringing the score to 72-67 with 3:20 left. But Chanel Hunt missed two straight jumpers that would've brought American within three, and the Lady Hawks went 8-12 from the foul line down the stretch to secure the win.
UMES Hawks (6-12, 2-8)
Previous games:
Date Game Result
11/15 NWBL Elite (ex) W 102-97
11/21 at Memphis L 63-89
11/23 at Ark-Pine Bluff W 77-60
11/28 vs. Louis.-Laf.# W 60-57
11/29 at Maryland# L 65-97
12/3 at St. Francis L 48-56
12/20 at Towson L 67-92
1/3 Delaware State* L 50-52
1/5 Howard* L 74-79
1/10 at N.C. A&T* L 61-68
1/12 at S. Carolina St* L 68-75
1/17 at Norfolk State* W 72-63
1/19 at Hampton* L 59-60
1/24 Coppin State* L 55-63
1/27 Morgan State* W 95-57
1/29 at Savannah St. W 65-57
1/31 at Florida A&M* L 60-63
2/2 Bethune-Cook.* L 61-70
2/4 American W 80-73
Upcoming schedule:
Date Game Time
2/7 at Delaware St.* 2:00
2/9 at Howard* 6:00
2/12 Savannah State 5:30
2/14 N.C. A&T* 2:00
2/16 S. Carolina St.* 5:30
2/21 Norfolk State* 2:00
2/23 Hampton* 5:30
2/28 at Coppin State* 5:30
3/1 at Morgan State* 5:30
3/8-12 MEAC Tourn. TBA (Richmond, VA)
*Denotes MEAC conference game
# at Terrapin Classic, UMCP
Surina Dixon- Head Coach
Surina Dixon is in her fourth season as head coach for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore's Lady Hawks basketball team. Her teams have compiled a 35-68 overall record (.338 win pct.) to date, after starting 6-12 and having earned 12 victories in each of the past two seasons (after only five in 2000-01).
Prior to her arrival at UMES, Coach Dixon served as head assistant coach at Arkansas State University, where she helped guide the Lady Indians to their first ever Top 25 national ranking. Coach Dixon was also an assistant at Texas Southern University.
Before collegiate athletics, Coach Dixon coached for ten seasons in Memphis, Tennessee at Germantown Middle School. There Dixon won eight district and six county championships, had five undefeated seasons, and compiled an overall record of 165-29.
While transitioning to the college ranks, Dixon had an opportunity to both play and coach two seasons of professional basketball with the WBA's Memphis Blues. She has also worked as a coach and instructor at various camps, including the 2000 WNBA Houston Comets' training camp.
At Rosedale High School in Rosedale, Miss., Dixon captained both the basketball and track teams. She then played at Mississippi Valley State University, where she graduated in 1983. Dixon later obtained her Master's degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Mississippi.
Assistant Coach
Destiney Avent- Assistant Coach
Destiney Avent is in her first season as an assistant coach at UMES. She has returned to her alma mater ('02) after spending one season as the head women's basketball coach at Montgomery Community College.
Avent played for two seasons at UMES. In 2002, she was named the UMES female student-athlete of the year, as well as team MVP. Before that, Avent played two seasons at Tallahassee Community College.
MEAC 2003-04 Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
Rk School Pts
1. Hampton (13) 413
2. Delaware St. (5) 385
3. Florida A&M 339
4. Bethune-Cook. 283
5. Howard (1) 261
6. MD East. Shore 203
7. S. Carolina St. 188
8. Coppin State 177
9. Norfolk State 143
10. N. Carolina A&T 119
11. Morgan State 33
(first-place votes in parenthesis)
All-MEAC First Team
G Yolanda Dixon, FAMU
G Mandy Clark, Delaware St.
F Lynetta Sullivan, Hampton
F LaKesha Wills, Coppin St.
C Kim Watson, FAMU
Second Team
G Terrell Waller, Delaware St.
G Katie Clark, Bethune-Cook.
F Tiffany Winkfield, UMES
F Lauren Forsthoff, Bethune-Cook
C Nicole Brathwaite, Hampton
-As selected in a preseason vote of MEAC coaches and Sports Information Directors
