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March 6, 2007 RALEIGH, N.C. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) women's basketball team wrapped up its season with a loss to Norfolk State (NSU), 58-54 in the opening round of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Tournament Tuesday afternoon at the RBC Center. The Lady Hawks (11-20) were up by as many as nine points in the second half before the Spartans (6-23) whittled the deficit down to one at 9:15. The lead changed hands over the next few possessions until a lay-up by NSU's Tiffany Gadsen gave the Spartans a 3-point lead with just over two minutes left in regulation. Candyce Jeter's (Baltimore, Md./Milford Mill Academy) trey at 1:22 tied things up at 50-50 before Toia Johnson fired back with a 3-point basket of her own, putting Norfolk State up by three with 56 seconds left. Later, Johnson hit a free-throw with 25 seconds left to give NSU a two point advantage. Qiana Cheatham (Baltimore, Md./Milford Mill Academy) answered back and hit the game tying basket at 14 seconds, but Johnson connected on a fast break lay-up with :01 left to give the lead back to Norfolk State. "Qiana hit a big shot, I thought today she played the best she has in a while," said Head Coach Fred Batchelor. "I just wanted to score to get it tied," said Cheatham. "My teammates trusted me and opened the lane for me to score," she added. Gadsen made a pair from the free-throw line to seal the win for the Spartans. UMES, who trailed by as many as seven points in the first half, outscored NSU 9-0 in the final five minutes of the half after Ashley Hill (Mitchellville, Md./Winston-Churchill H.S.) keyed the Hawk run with consecutive baskets. The Lady Hawks had a two-point lead at the break, 23-21. The three UMES freshmen played a lot of minutes today, 64 combined. "I am really proud of us," said freshman forward April McBride. "Ashley stepped up and Jaquese [Smith] really took the pressure of the point on her shoulders."
The maroon and gray were paced by Cheatham's game high 15 points. April McBride (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle H.S.) finished with 13 while Jasmine Speed (Chesterfield, Mich./Anchor Bay H.S.) and Natalia Benton (Brooklyn, N.Y./Monroe C.C.) pulled down six rebounds each. The game was the last for seniors Cheatham, Jeter, Benton and Almalika Lemon. "We lacked leadership at some points during the season but these four seniors showed it today. I am proud of the character they showed and proud to have coached them," said Batchelor. "I told the whole team I was proud to be their coach." Norfolk State got 14 points apiece from Johnson and Areya Walker. Ashley Green chipped in with 11. "Toya Johnson is a very unique player who does some very unique things, it didn't shock me she got that shot to fall despite [McBride's] good defense," Batchelor said. The game marks the last for the Lady Hawks of the season. "This was quite a learning experience," said Batchelor. "We learned a lot, especially the last six games of the season. We will grow from today and from the year. We will respond next year and be better and stronger. In fact I have already come up with the theme for next year's team, `Fear the Hawk.'" The 07-08 Lady Hawks campaign begins on October 19 with Midnight Madness. |
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