 
|
Jan. 18, 2005
HAMPTON, VA - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) women's basketball program dropped a tough game to Hampton University, 51-46 on Monday night. Down three points and in possession of the ball with just four seconds left, a questionable offensive foul call on junior Toni Kennedy ruined any chance of the Lady Hawks sending the game to overtime. Kennedy, who is the only Lady Hawk with a scoring average in double-figures (11.2 ppg), had a game-high 13 points including three critical three-point field goal makes. Down 2-0 in the first minute of the game, UMES (4-9, 3-2) went on an 8-1 run over the next 2:41 that was started on Kennedy's first three-point make of the evening. Hampton (6-8, 6-0) bounced back to tie the game and then take the lead at 16-15 on two free-throw makes by Rachel Butler. Over the next few minutes the lead exchanged hands a few times as there were seven ties and/or lead changes in the first half. However, with less than a minute left in the first half and the game tied at 25-25, Kennedy hit another three-pointer to give the Lady Hawks a 28-25 advantage at the half. Kennedy was the only player in double-figures at the half as she had 10 of her 13 in the first twenty minutes on 3-of-9 shooting from the field, plus 2-2 from the free throw line. Freshman Kristi Veltkamp, who finished the game with 10 points, her fifth straight game of scoring in double-figures, and a career-high seven block shots, had six points in the first half to go along with three blocks.
In the second half, Hampton began to press the Lady Hawks with some success as they rattled off an 8-0 run in the first 4:29 of the second on five quick UMES turnovers. With a 33-28 advantage, freshman Kolade Aderoju was able to end the Lady Pirates run with an impressive drive to the hoop and then another Kennedy three-pointer tied the game at 33-33.
Over the next ten minutes, neither team was able to gain a lead of more than two points, until Sharema Dean hit only her second field goal make of the game, her only make from beyond the arc. With just two and a half minutes left, the Lady Hawks now trailed 49-44. Veltkamp cut the lead back to three with a jumper in the lane with 2:04 left. The score remained the same as the Lady Hawks were able to keep Hampton from scoring, giving themselves a shot to tie the game with 11-seconds remaining. Sophomore Ashley Chase was able to find herself an open three-point opportunity that just wouldn't fall, but the rebound deflected off a Hampton player and out of bounds with four-seconds left. With one last shot in the making, the official on the floor whistled Kennedy for an offensive foul before the ball was even in-bounded. With Hampton in the bonus, Butler secured the game at 51-46 with two free-throw makes. Regardless of the final outcome, the Lady Hawks made the statement they wanted to make in this game to Hampton and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Without starting point guard Erica Bennett, who missed the game due to a minor ankle injury in Sunday's practice, UMES was able to push the MEAC's defending back-to-back conference champions to the limits in a place where they have had little success. UMES has never won a game in the Convocation Center at Hampton as they are now 0-21 on the road against the Lady Pirates. At the same time when looking at Hampton's results from this season, they had won all of their first five MEAC games by more than 11 points. The Lady Hawks pushed them to the final seconds and even had a chance to take control of this game, but could not convert on a few key offensive possessions. UMES won the battle under the boards as they out rebounded the Lady Pirates 42-38. But 34 turnovers compared to only 26 turnover for Hampton doomed the Lady Hawks especially early in the second half as a three-point UMES advantage quickly turned into a five-point deficit. Still in great position to make a run toward the MEAC tournament, the Lady Hawks will look to bounce back against Norfolk State on Wednesday, January 19th in Norfolk, Virginia. The game is part of a women's and men's conference double-header that will begin at 6:00 p.m. |
|||||||||
| ||||||||||
