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Jan. 22, 2010 PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's basketball team (5-8, 3-1 MEAC), aiming for its fourth win in five chances, travels to Baltimore, Md., Saturday to take on the Coppin State Lady Eagles at CSU's new Physical Education Complex at 2 p.m. A win for UMES coupled with a Morgan State loss against Delaware State would move the Lady Hawks into sole possession of second place in the MEAC standings.
LAST TIME OUT: UMES lost a 56-55 decision to Bethune-Cook- man at Moore Gymnasium on Martin Luther King Day. Casey Morton couldn't conver a 12- footer with three seconds left that would have given the Lady Hawks a fourth straight win. UMES held a 23-21 halftime lead and outshot the Lady Wildcats, 45.1-30.4, for the game. April McBride led all players with 16 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for her third double-double of the season.
SCOUTING COPPIN STATE: The Lady Eagles come into Saturday's game riding a two-game win streak with victories at South Carolina State (82-72) and Winston- Salem State (48-38). CSU is 6-9 overall, holds a 3-1 mark at the new PEC, and is 2-2 in conference. Defensively, the Lady Eagles have guarded the 3-point line well, holding opponents to just over 28 percent, a MEAC low. They are ranked second in field-goal percentage defense (35.9) and third in both scoring defense (60.3) and defensive rebounding (25.7). Offensively, CSU has struggled to score, ranking second-to-last in scoring at 54.5 points per game and 3-pointers made at 2.5. The Lady Eagles shoot just over 58 percent from the line and hold a -2.6 turnover margin, ranking last in both categories in the league. Sophomore Jeanine Manley is the team's leading scorer (9.7).
UMES-COPPIN STATE SERIES: Coppin State holds a 28-20 lead in the all-time series, having won 11 of the last 12 game against UMES. The Lady Hawks last victory in the series came in the 2007-08 season at the Coppin Center, 69-62.
MCBRIDE: CENTURY WOMAN: Senior April McBride played her 100th career game at Bethune-Cookman Monday. As one of only two seniors on this year's squad McBride will be the only UMES player achieve the feat in 2009-10. Junior Casey Morton should reach the milestone next season, having played 71 career games.
LADY HAWKS STRUGGLING DEFENSIVELY: As of Jan. 17, UMES ranked 207 out of 332 NCAA Division I teams in scoring defense at 65.5 points per game. UMES is also 242nd in field-goal percentage defense (41.0) and is fifth in the MEAC in the category. On the other side of the coin, UMES has been outscored by an average of 4.8 points a game, which is 235th nationally. In the season-opening loss at UMBC, the Retrievers made 14 3-point shots, which is the seventh-best total in Division I to date.
UMES CONTROLLING THE BOARDS: UMES is second in the MEAC in rebounding margin, outrebounding the opposition by two boards per game. The Lady Hawks trail only Howard in that category in the conference (plus-2.8).
UMES AFTER A LOSS SINCE 2002-03 SEASON: The Lady Hawks come into action against Coppin State Saturday with a record of 38-65 (.368) following a loss since the 2002-03. UMES is 3-4 after a loss this season. The best record the team posted in that span was in 2005-06 when it was 7-5.
HEAD OF THE CLASS: As of Jan. 23, senior April McBride is leading all MEAC seniors in rebounding. McBride is averaging 8.7 rebounds per game which is good for third overall in the conference. She is averaging 3.4 offensive rebounds per game which is fifth best in the league and is also fourth in the MEAC in defensive rebounding (5.3 per game).
SANDERS MAKING AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT: Redshirt freshman forward Chelsea Sanders is tied for second on the Lady Hawks in scoring after 13 games at 10.2 points per game, ranking her 14th in the MEAC. Sanders is averaging 1.1 3-pointers made per game and is 11th in the conference in that category while currently being 13th in 3-point percentage (24.5).
MCBRIDE AMONG MEAC LEADERS: In addition to Sanders' solid numbers, McBride is third in scoring average with 16.8 points per game. McBride is fifth in field-goal percentage at 48.3 percent as well as 14th in free-throw percentage at 69.6 percent. She is also tied fifth in blocks per game (0.9). Finally, McBride is eighth in the MEAC in steals at 2.1 per game.
23RD CAREER 20-POINT GAME: In scoring 21 points against Winston-Salem State on Jan. 11, April McBride registered the 23rd 20-point scoring effort of her career at UMES. Last season, she recorded 10 20-point games. During her sophomore campaign, she notched eight 20-point games and in her first year at UMES she had one 20-point effort.
STRUGGLE IN NOV., DEC., FLOURISH IN JAN.: Over the last several years under head coach Fred Batchelor, the Lady Hawks have limped through November and December before blazing through the month of January. That may hold true again this season. In 2008-09, the Hawks went 2-6 in November and December and then went 7-3 in January. In 2007-08, the Hawks were 4-5 through December and went 6-2 in January. In Bathelor's first season with the program (2004-05) the Lady Hawks were 2-8 after two months and then posted a 5-3 mark in January.
MORTON WORKING HARD FOR THE LADY HAWKS: NBA statistics guru Harvey Pollack, inventor of numerous basketball statistical categories, maintains what he calls the "working man's stat," which is when a player records at least one of every statistical category in the box score. In the season-opener at UMBC, junior Casey Morton achieved a working woman's stat. She was: 2-of-10 from the field; 1-of-7 from three-point land; 7-of-10 at the line; had one offensive rebound; three defensive rebounds; 12 points; one assist; one block; three steals.McBride joined the club against American on Jan. 4. She was: 4-of-11 from the field; 3-of-4 from 3-point land; 3-of-4 from the line; one offensive rebound; six defensive rebounds; 14 points; two assists; two blocks; four steals.
PROTECTING THE HYTCHE CENTER: The Lady Hawks have managed a winning record at home the last seven years. Overall, UMES is 50-36 at the W.P. Hytche Athletic Center since the 2002 campaign. For comparison, the Hawks are 39-50 on the road since the 2002 season. In 2007, the Lady Hawks had nine wins at home. Since Fred Batchelor's arrival on campus, the Lady Hawks 38-26 at home. The Hawks won their final two games last season at home. MORTON: 208 AND COUNTING With a career-high-tying seven assists against Winston-Salem State on Jan. 11, Casey Morton eclipsed the 200-assist plateau and currently has 208 for her career. She ranks 14th in the conference, averaging 2.5 dimes per game.
THREE IN A ROW?: The Lady Hawks are hoping for their third straight winning season under head man Fred Batchelor. UMES finished 15-14 last season and went 17-13 the year prior. Since 1983-84, the Lady Hawks have never had three straight winning seasons.
MCBRIDE NAMED TO MEAC PRESEASON FIRST TEAM: Senior April McBride was named to the Preseason MEAC First Team, as voted upon by conference head coaches and sports information directors. McBride has led the Lady Hawks in scoring and rebounding in each of her three seasons at UMES. McBride was named First Team All-MEAC following her sophomore and junior seasons.
HAWKS PREDICTED TO FINISH SECOND IN MEAC: Conference head coaches and SIDs voted UMES second in the preseason behind predicted league-champion North Carolina A&T. The jump is a dramatic one for the Hawks, who were predicted to finish sixth in the MEAC last season. In 2007, the Hawks were picked to finish seventh in the league.
DOWNTOWN DIFFICULTIES The Lady Hawks are having trouble connecting from 3-point range through 13 games. UMES is shooting just 22.4 percent (45-for-201) from beyond the arc, which is ninth in the conference. The statistic is especially troubling considering that UMES is taking 27 percent of its shots from 3- point range. UMES hit 2-of-9 from beyond the arc versus Iona and just 1-of-8 against Delaware State. The Lady Hawks followed that up with a 3-of-18 showing against Mississippi Valley State and were 1-of-11versus Georgia State.UMES attempted a season-high 40 3-pointers at UMBC (9-for-40).
COOKING UP THE OFFENSE: Sophomore Amber Cook has scored in double figures in two of the last 10 games. She had a season-high 13 against Delaware State and 10 versus Iona. She scored a total of 10 points through the first three games combined.Cook also had a team-high seven rebounds against Iona. Part of the reason for the increase in production has been the increase in minutes. Last year, she averaged 19.2 minutes per game. This season, Cook is on the floor for 26.2 minutes per contest. She played a career-high 38 minutes against Iona.
HAWKS COME AT YOU IN WAVES: Of the 15 players that have seen the floor this season, 10 are averaging more than 10 minutes per game. Seven players are averaging at least 15 minutes per contest and four players are averaging at least 20 minutes per game. No UMES player is averaging more than April McBride's 30.2 per night.
BUCKNER'S 3-POINT DROUGHT: Latoya Buckner is just 2-of-24 from 3-point range this season. She has missed her last 20 of 21 attempts from deep. She made her only two 3-pointers at UMBC on Nov. 15 and at Bethune-Cookman on Jan. 18.
MAGIC MAN RETURNS AS COACH: After graduating from UMES in 2008, Richard "Magic" Ashley returns as the graduate assistant coach for the Lady Hawks in 2009-10. Magic previously worked for the team from 2006-08 as the student assistant coach and the assistant strength and conditioning coach. Following graduation last year, Magic was the top assistant coach for the William Penn High School boys varsity squad. He helped in guiding the team to the state title.
SENIOR MCBRIDE RETURNS TO ANCHOR HAWKS: Senior April McBride is one of the top returnees in the MEAC. She paced the 2008-09 Hawks in scoring (16.2) and rebouning (8.6). McBride ranked fifth in the MEAC in scoring and third in rebounding. She also finished eighth in the conference in field-goal percentage (42.9), third in free-throw percentage (79.1), tied for 12th in the league in steals (1.6) and fifth in blocks (1.2). McBride scored in double figures in 22 of the 25 games she played in. McBride led the Hawks in scoring in 17 games last season. She poured in a career-best 29 points against Morgan State on Jan. 31.
Casey Morton IS BACK: Every star needs a compliment and thats exactly what Casey Morton provides for McBride. Morton was the second leading scorer last season, averaging 11.0 points per game. Morton appeared in all 29 games and was in the starting lineup for 28 of the contests. Morton connected on 38 3-pointers, second most on the team behind Tiffany Reid (42). Morton proved to be an excellent fascilitator, leading the Hawks with 90 assists. She also led the team in steals with 47 last season. Two years ago, during his freshman campaign, she was named the MEAC Rookie of the Year.
THIRTY-THREE GAMES IN TWO YEARS IN DOUBLE DIGITS: Senior April McBride scored in double figures in 33 games over the last two seasons. She has scored in double figures in 76 games in her three years at UMES. Casey Morton is second in career double-figure games with 43.Morton tallied a season-high 16 points in UMES first win of the season against Delaware State.
REBOUNDING PROWESS FROM THE GUARD SPOT: Casey Morton proved last season that she is one of the best rebounding guards in the MEAC. At 5-foot-9, Morton ranked second on the Hawks last season, averaging 3.9 boards per game. She totaled 113 rebounds. During the 2007-08 campaign, Morton totaled 107 rebounds (3.7). In the season-opening loss at UMBC, Morton pulled a season-best six boards against Delaware State.
BOMBS AWAY FROM BEYOND THE ARC: UMES attempted 602 3-pointers last season. For comparison, the Hawks' opponents attempted just 307 long balls. It is interesting to note that Tiffany Reid (141) and Josephine McLane (138), who are not on the 2009-10 roster, attempted the most from beyond the arc. Casey Morton was third in attempts with 124. The Hawks' opponents (.308) had a better 3-point percentage than UMES (.284). In the season-opening loss at UMBC, the Lady Hawks fired 40 3-pointers in 40 minutes, connecting on nine (22.5 percent).
LADY HAWKS HURT ON BOARDS: UMES was badly outrebounded against UMBC, allowing the Retrievers to pull in 54 boards while totaling only 38. April McBride pulled down a team-high eight boards. It was the first time the Lady Hawks had been outrebounded by 10 or more since February of last season, when Florida A&M won the battle on the glass, 45-34.
NEXT UP FOR UMES: After facing Coppin State Saturday, the Lady Hawks head across town to play the Morgan State Lady Bears at Talmadge Hill Field House at 5:30 p.m., on Jan. 25. |
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