Feb. 14, 2004
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The Men's Game
The UMES men's basketball team, winners of three of its last five conference games, continues a five-game home stand Saturday with a MEAC contest against North Carolina A&T at the Hytche Center. The Hawks (5-16, 4-8 MEAC) are coming off a 73-59 non-conference loss to Savannah State Thursday.
The Aggies come in with a 2-19 record, including a 2-10 mark in the MEAC. The team has won two out of its last five after an 0-16 start to the season, including a 52-50 loss to UMES on January 10th.
Scouting the Aggies
The North Carolina A&T Aggies come into play Saturday still looking for their first road victory of the season, having gone 0-13 away from home (0-5 MEAC) and 2-19 overall.
The Aggies are coached by first-year head man Jerry Eaves, who came to Greensboro after an impressive career as an assistant in college and the NBA. Eaves has worked under Butch Beard with the New Jersey Nets, Paul Silas with the Charlotte Hornets and Denny Crum at his alma-mater Louisville (where he won an NCAA championship in 1980 as a player) among other stops.
The Aggies are led in scoring by freshman Sean Booker, who has come off the bench in all 21 games this season and averaged 13.9 ppg. Big man Christopher Ferguson is third on the team in scoring at 7.0 ppg, and first in rebounding (7.2 rpg).
News and Notes
For the second straight week, Tee Trotter was named MEAC Player of the Week by the conference (week ending 2/10). In two games, he averaged 21.5 ppg in leading the Hawks to a perfect 2-0 record. Trotter is now averaging 18.6 ppg this season, and is leading all conference players with 19.8 ppg in MEAC contests...After going eight straight games without scoring more than 55 points in a contest, UMES has now scored over 62 points in six of its nine games since. The Hawks are averaging 65 ppg during that stretch, after averaging 52 ppg on the season up to that point...After 21 games this season UMES has matched its win total from all of '02-'03 (5-16 now, 5-23 overall last season)...The Hawks have struggled from the field so far this season, coming into play Saturday shooting only 37% as a team...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.
Tigers Roar
The Savannah State Tigers snapped a 17-game losing streak and won for only the second time in 24 games this season, as they handled UMES 73-59 Thursday night in a non-conference game at the Hytche Center. Tee Trotter scored 34 of the Hawks' 59 points, but the Tigers placed four players in double-figures en route to the easy win.
The Tigers (2-22) led by as many as 11 in the first half and by nine at halftime, 37-28. Eight minutes into the second half, however, UMES had it down to a one-point deficit thanks to the inspired play of Trotter. Tee scored nine of the Hawks' first 13 points in the half to make the score 45-44 with 12:40 remaining.
But Savannah State went on a decisive 11-0 run over the next three minutes, including two big dunks by Jasmin Lowe, to open up a 56-44 advantage with 9:08 left. The Hawks got it back within 57-51 at the 6:47 mark after a brief 7-1 run, but would get no closer the rest of the way.
While Trotter did his part offensively, UMES didn't get much production from anyone else. Didier Socka netted ten points, all in the first half, and no other Hawk player scored more than five points. Jamal Daniels led the Tigers with 19 points (7-13 FGs), while Sherard Reddick added 16 points and 10 rebounds and Lowe chipped in 11 points.
UMES ROSTER AT A GLANCE
Probable Starters
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG
1 Tee Trotter G 5'11 180 Sr. 18.6 2.1
During Hawks last seven games, averaging 26.8 ppg (188 pts) and twice has been named MEAC Player of the Week...Hit GW shot with 5 seconds left to beat Howard 2/9, part of 26-pt. performance...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. 11.0 3.1
Scored only 5 pts at Howard Monday (2-8 FGs) and 4 pts vs. Sav St. Thursday (1-8 FGs)...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. 4.2 2.8
5 pts and 6 rebs in 30 min vs. Sav St...Tied career-high with 12 pts (5-9 FGs) in 35 min vs. Morgan St. 1/27...Shooting 29-200 FGs (29%) this season (8-41 3's)...Transfer from Cecil C.C. averaged 11 points and 6 rebounds in '02-'03.
4 Javes Wiggins F 6'7 220 Sr. 4.7 6.0
Had 0 pts and 6 rebs in 11 min vs. Sav St...Season-high 14 pts, also 11 rebs at Del. St. 2/7...Leads team in rebounding, currently 5th in conference...Was team's leading rebounder in '02-'03, also third-leading returning scorer.
42 Tim Parham C 6'9 240 Jr. 5.5 3.4
4 pts and 6 rebs in 13 min vs. Sav St...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.
Reserves
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG
3 DeWitt Scott G 6'6 200 Fr. 3.3 1.9
Played combined 12 min past three games after a DNP the previous 4 games...Career high 9 pts, 11 rebs at Norfolk St. 1/17...True freshman from Chicago.
5 Lawrence Smith G 5'10 150 Jr. 0.6 0.4
Season-high-matching 4 pts in 16 min at Howard (also 4 pts 1/27 vs. Morgan St.)...Defensive specialist with quick hands, serves as backup point guard.
10 Marcus Gutierrez G 6'4 185 So. 1.3 1.3
DNP (coach's decision) last eight 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 7 straight DNP's...Has seen limited action in nine of the team's 21 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. 3.5 2.9
2 pts, 4 rebs, 4 assts in 24 min vs. Sav St...Hit GW FTs w/ 9 sec. left at Sav. St. 1/29...Season-high 13 pts v. Del St 1/3...Shooting 21-69 FGs (30%) this season.
25 Brandon Wilson G 6'4 190 R-Fr. 1.2 0.8
DNP last 3 games...Scored 2 points at Sav St 1/29 (only pts since 1/6 at MD)...Scored career-high 6 points at Ill...Red-shirt freshman from Long Island, NY.
33 Didier Socka F 6'7 225 Sr. 3.7 3.0
10 pts, 2 rebs, 3 blks vs. Sav St...Career-high 17 pts (8-10 FGs) in 19 min vs. BCC 2/2...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.
35 Shondale Robinson F 6'5 200 So. 0.0 0.8
Has not played since Norfolk St. game 1/17 (9 straight DNP's)...Played career-high 12 min at S. Car St. 1/12 (0 pts, 3 rebs, 2 blks).
55 Jason McKinnon C 6'11 270 Jr. 2.6 3.1
0 pts combined in the last 13 games (includes 4 starts, 7 DNP)...Has started 9 of 20 games...Had only double-double of season (11 pts, 11 rebs) at RMU 12/21.
UMES Hawks (5-16, 4-8)
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)
2/7 at Delaware St.* W 69-66 (OT)
2/9 at Howard* W 56-55
2/12 Savannah State L 59-73
Upcoming schedule:
Date Game Time
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 5-16 start this season, Trotter has a 33-73 overall record (.311 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 9th game in 19 days Saturday as they continue a five-game home stand with a MEAC contest against North Carolina A&T. The game tips off at 2:00 from the Hytche Center.
The Lady Hawks are coming off an impressive 86-60 win against Savannah State Thursday, improving their record to 5-4 in non-conference games this season. The Lady Aggies beat UMES in Greensboro 68-61 on January 10th, but since then have lost eight of their next nine games to fall well back in the MEAC standings.
News and Notes
After a quiet start to her career at UMES, freshman LaToya Green has broken out in a big way the last four games. In her first 11 games played as a Hawk, Green scored a total of 15 points. In her last four however, Latoya has scored a total of 56 points (14 ppg), including a career-high 20 at Del. St. 2/7...In spite of the Lady Hawks' poor conference record, nine of the team's 10 MEAC losses have come by 9 points or fewer. The team has led in the second half in 8 of those 10 losses...After a slow start to the season, UMES guard Laconia Hatcher has caught fire. Hatcher was named MEAC Player of the Week Feb. 3rd, after averaging 15.2 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per contest. The junior college-transfer, who failed to score double-figures in any of the first five games this season, has scored in double-figures in 14 of the 16 games since, and is now the second-leading scorer at 12.5 ppg....Tiffany Winkfield, who recorded a double-double in 12 of the Lady Hawks' first 20 games this season, missed the Savannah State game due to a suspension. The senior is leading the team with both 13.8 ppg and 10.7 rpg (also leads the MEAC)....The Lady Hawks have been a second-half team in '03-'04. Despite the team's losing record, UMES has out-scored its opponents 754-727 in the second half this season.
Tigers Trampled
Octavia Thompson scored a game-high 21 points, and the Maryland Eastern Shore Lady Hawks defeated the Savannah State Lady Tigers 86-60 at the Hytche Center Thursday.
The Lady Hawks (7-14, 2-10 MEAC) led by six at halftime, but went on a 16-5 run to blow open the game at the beginning of the second half. Overall in the second half, UMES outscored the Lady Tigers (6-17) 45-25.
LaToshia Bailey and LaToya Green combined to score the Lady Hawks' first eight points of the big second half run, and the Lady Hawks never looked back. Laconia Hatcher scored 14 points to go along with 10 rebounds for UMES, while Erica Bennett added 13 points in 32 minutes.
Caroline Moore led Savannah with 20 points and four rebounds, while Kermetris Hill pitched in 11 points and two rebounds.
UMES Hawks (7-14, 2-10)
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
2/7 at Delaware St.* L 58-64
2/9 at Howard* L 74-88
2/12 Savannah State W 86-60
Upcoming schedule:
Date Game Time
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 36-71 overall record (.340 win pct.) to date, after starting 7-14 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
