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Jan. 20, 2005
NORFOLK, VA - Led by three players in double-figures Norfolk State University extended its winning streak to three straight as they took full advantage of a week and a half break to defeat the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Lady Hawks, 63-46. UMES (4-10, 3-3), who was playing in its sixth straight road game and second straight without starting point guard Erica Bennett, struggled from the floor shooting only 29% from the floor and converted only 14 of its 29 free throw opportunities. Norfolk State (3-10, 3-3), who lost its first ten games of the season, has now won three straight games - two of which were on the road, hold an overall series record of 13-3 against the Lady Hawks. In the first half, UMES jumped out to a quick 3-0, but never held another lead as senior Yomika Corbitt led the Spartans on an 8-2 run scoring all eight points over a 3:14 span. Trailing 8-5, the two teams exchanged baskets for the next six minutes before a three-pointer by junior Toia Johnson extended the lead to seven points for Norfolk State. With 14:25 remaining, the Spartans full court pressure led to back-to-back lay-ups off of three straight backcourt turnovers by UMES extending the advantage to 25-14 for NSU. In the last ten minutes of the half both teams struggled as the Lady Spartans held onto the 11-point lead at halftime 34-23. In the first 20 minutes the Lady Hawks really struggled in most aspects of the game as they shot only 29.6% from the floor, hit only six of their 15 free throw opportunities and turned the ball over 18 times.
In the second half, the Lady Hawks shooting troubles continued as they missed their first six shots and both of their first two attempts from the free throw line allowing the lead to swell to 17 points. UMES finally scored for the first time over three minutes into the half on a Candyce Jeter (Baltimore, Md./Milford Mill Academy) three-pointer from the corner.
With 10:45 left, Ashley Chase (Baltimore, Md./Paul Lawrence Dunbar) checked back into the game with Jamila Griffith (Barbados, West Indies/Tallahassee C.C.) on the free-throw line. Griffith split the pair of free throws and over the next minute Chase hit a jumper, stole the ball and assisted to Kolade Aderoju (Bladensburg, Md./Bladensburg) to cut the lead down to six. That would be the closet that UMES could get as over the next four minutes Norfolk State pushed the lead to as many as 19 as they started a 9-0, eventually closing out the game 63-46. Johnson, and Corbitt finished with 10 points each for the Lady Spartans, while Shalynn Leonard came off the bench to score a team-high 11 points. UMES was led by Griffith's game-high 12 points and team-high seven rebounds, while Aderoju chipped in a career-high 11 points on 3-6 shooting from the floor and 5-10 shooting from the charity stripe. The Lady Hawks leading scorer Toni Kennedy (Baltimore, Md./Grayson County College) was held in check by the Spartans defense as she was 1-9 from the floor, 0-4 from beyond the arc and could not get to the free throw line all night. The Lady Hawks will look to end its current two-game losing streak as they finally return home ending a six-game road trip and will play their first home game since December 6th, 2004. UMES will host Coppin State on Saturday, January 22nd at 2:00 p.m. and then will take on Morgan State on Monday, January 24th at 5:30 p.m., both game will be played at the William P. Hytche Center in Princess Anne, Maryland. |
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