March 7, 2004
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The Men's Game
The #9 UMES men's basketball team begins conference tournament play with a match-up against #8 Bethune-Cookman Tuesday at the Arthur Ashe Center. The Hawks (7-20, 6-12 MEAC) lost their final four regular season games following a prolonged hot streak in which they had won six out of nine contests.
The Hawks ended the regular season with a 93-89 loss at Morgan State on March 1st, falling despite a 65-point second half outburst (28 from senior Tee Trotter). Trotter, who had missed the previous game with a knee injury, ended with a game-high 35 points and finished second in the conference with 18.9 ppg.
Scouting the Wildcats
The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (8-20, 7-11 MEAC) enter the conference tournament on a roll, having won their final two regular-season games to clinch eighth place in the season standings.
After starting this season 0-10, the Wildcats played almost .500 ball the final two months of the season, including victories in four of their final seven MEAC games.
Bethune last played Friday night against Florida A&M in its regular-season finale and upset the Rattlers 85-83 in overtime, thanks to a career-high 25 points from Diondre Larmond. The team is led by first-team MEAC pre-season selection Pape Ba, a center who averages 10.0 ppg and a team-leading 5.4 rpg. Forward Larmond is Bethune's leading scorer and only other player averaging double-figures at 10.6 ppg.
News and Notes
Tee Trotter, who was named a second-team All-MEAC selection, has now scored 1,875 points in his career at UMES, and on Feb. 21st passed Levi Fountaine (1,816) for second-place on the school's all-time scoring list. On Feb. 12th, he passed Ken Simmons (1,748) to become the school's all-time Division-I scoring leader...On Feb. 17th, Trotter was named MEAC Player of the Week by the conference for the third week in a row. The senior is now averaging 18.9 ppg this season, which is second in the MEAC to FAMU's Terrence Woods (20.4). Tee finished second in the conference in scoring last season (20.5 ppg)...It took UMES 22 games this season to better its win total from all of '02-'03 (7-20 now, 5-23 overall last season). Last year UMES tied for 9th place in the MEAC, while this year they finished alone in 9th...The Hawks have struggled from the field so far this season, coming into play Tuesday shooting only 38% 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.
When Last They Met...
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 February 2nd at the Hytche Center.
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 of the period, capped by a Jareem Dowling three-pointer that gave the Hawks a 63-62 lead with 31 seconds left. 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. 18.9 2.1
Scored 35 pts (17-17 FTs) in 39 min at Morgan, 28 of those in the second half. Had missed game at Coppin St. two days earlier b/c of knee injury...During his last 12 games, averaging 24.2 ppg (290 pts) and three times has been named MEAC Player of the Week...Hit GW shot with 4 sec. left to beat Howard 56-55 on 2/9...Season-high 36 pts (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), second this season...MEAC second-team 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. 11.8 2.9
Scored season-high 25 pts (7-13 3's) in 37 min off the bench at Morgan...Leads Hawks with 64 three-pointers this season (64-175, 37%)...Team's second-leading scorer this season, was also in '02-'03...Pure shooter with knack for scoring.
44 Jareem Dowling F 6'6 235 Jr. 3.8 2.6
0 pts (0-7 FGs) and 4 reb in last two games combined...Tied career-high with 12 pts in 35 min vs. Morgan St. 1/27...Shooting 32-124 FGs (26%) this season (10-53 3's-19%)...Transfer from Cecil C.C. averaged 11 pts and 6 rebounds in '02-'03.
4 Javes Wiggins F 6'7 220 Sr. 6.0 6.8
Career-high 17 points, also 13 rebs in 34 min at Morgan...Career-high 15 reb vs. NC A&T 2/14...Leads team in rebounding, currently 5th in conference...Was leading rebounder in '02-'03, also third-leading returning scorer.
42 Tim Parham C 6'9 240 Jr. 6.3 3.3
DNP last two games b/c of personal reasons...Had 18 points in his last game 2/23 vs. Hampton...Scored career-high 20 pts 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. 2.6 1.5
0 pts in 3 min at Morgan...2 points at Coppin St 2/28 (first pts in last 12 games)...Career high 9 pts, 11 rebs at Norfolk St. 1/17...True freshman from Chicago.
5 Lawrence Smith G 5'10 150 Jr. 0.8 0.6
Made 2nd straight start at Morgan (0 pts)...Career-high 7 pts in career-high 30 min vs. Hampton 2/23...Defensive specialist, serves as backup point guard.
10 Marcus Gutierrez G 6'4 185 So. 1.1 1.3
5 min at Coppin St 2/28 (0 pts) after DNP previous 12 games....Career-high 6 pts (3-5 FGs) vs. Del St 1/3...Added to roster following conclusion of fall semester.
13 Kirk Wesley F 6'3 190 Sr. 0.5 0.1
Played 1 min vs. Hampton 2/23 after 10 straight DNP's...Played in 10 of 27 games...All 5 pts this season from foul line...Hard-nosed, athletic player.
14 Jermaul Akanbi G 6'2 165 So. 0.5 0.2
Played season-high 8 min (0 pts) at Coppin St 2/28...Has played in 6 of 27 games this season...Scored only FG vs. Coppin State 1/24 (2 pts, 1 asst).
21 Antoine Joiner F 6'5 180 Jr. 4.1 2.6
9 pts, 2 rebs in 23 min at Morgan (2nd straight start)....Season-high 13 pts v. Del St 1/3...Shooting 32-99 FGs (32%) this season, but 24-28 FTs (86%).
25 Brandon Wilson G 6'4 190 R-Fr. 1.7 1.1
3 pts in 10 min at Morgan...Matched career-high with 6 points at Coppin St 2/28 (also 6 points at Ill. 12/11)...Freshman season, originally from Long Island, NY.
33 Didier Socka F 6'7 225 Sr. 3.4 3.0
Only 2 pts in last 3 games combined....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. 0.6 1.0
0 pts in 7 min at Morgan after career-high 14 min at Coppin St. 2/28, his first action in 14 games (hadn't played since 1/17), scored first career points (4 pts).
55 Jason McKinnon C 6'11 270 Jr. 2.3 2.9
Played 17 min at Coppin St. 2/28, had 2 pts, 4 rebs (first pts 18 games)...Started 9 of 27 games...Only double-double of season (11 pts, 11 rebs) at RMU 12/21.
UMES Hawks (7-20, 6-12)
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
2/14 N.C. A&T* W 65-58 (OT)
2/16 S. Carolina St.* W 64-61
2/21 Norfolk State* L 67-63
2/23 Hampton* L 71-79
2/28 at Coppin State* L 38-61
3/1 at Morgan State* L 89-93
Upcoming schedule:
Date Game Time
3/9 Bethune-Cook. 1:30
3/10,11 TBA (Quarters) TBA
3/12 TBA (Semis) TBA
3/13 TBA (Finals) 12:00
*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 7-20 regular season this year, Trotter has a 35-77 overall record (.313 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.
MEAC 2003-04 Final Standings
Rk School Record
1. S Carolina St. 14-4
2. Coppin State 14-4
3.Delaware St. 11-7
4. Hampton 11-7
5. Florida A&M 10-8
6. Norfolk State 10-8
7. Morgan State 9-9
8.Bethune-Cook. 7-11
9. MD East. Shore 6-12
10. Howard 4-14
11. N Carolina A&T 3-15
All-MEAC First Team
G Terrence Woods, FAMU
G Chakowby Hicks, Norfolk St.
F Devin Green, Hampton
F Jimmy Boykin, Coppin State
F Thurman Zimmerman, SC St.
Second Team
G Tee Trotter, Md Eastern Shore
G Jeff Granger, Hampton
F Brian Mason, SC St.
F Terrence Hunter, Delaware St.
C James Wilkinson, Howard
Player of the Year:
Thurman Zimmerman, SC St.
-Selected in a vote by MEAC coaches and Sports Information Directors
