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Feb. 5, 2010 Game Notes | Live Audio | Live Stats NORFOLK, Va. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's basketball team (7-11, 4-4 MEAC), plays Norfolk State Saturday at the Echols Hall at 12 p.m. The Lady Hawks sit in a tie for sixth place in the MEAC standings but a win against the Spartans, would help right the ship for UMES , which has lost three of four games. LAST TIME OUT: Senior April McBride scored a game-high 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds but Hampton's Quanneisha Perry led a group of three players in double figures as the Lady Pirates defeated UMES, 64-48, on Monday. Casey Morton was the only other Lady Hawk in double figures with 11. Amber Cook chipped in with five points and a career-high nine boards. UMES trailed, 21-18, at halftime but HU exploded for 38 points in the second for the win. SCOUTING NORFOLK STATE: The Spartans come into Saturday's matchup with a 3-14 record (0-8 in the conference) after having lost their last three games. Defensively, Norfolk is ranked fifth in the MEAC in steals per game (8.9), fifth in opponent 3-point percentage (29.8), and last in blocks per game (1.5). On the glass, the Spartans are 10th in both rebounding offense (35.7 per game) and rebounding defense (42.1).Whitney Long is the team's leading scorer (11.1 points per game), and has been the team's leading scorer in five games, while Batavia Owens has lead the way on the backboard (5.9 rebounds per game).
UMES-NORFOLK STATE ALL-TIME SERIES: Saturday's meeting will be the 24th all-time between Norfolk State and UMES The Spartans hold a 16-7 advantage but haven't beaten UMES since March 6, 2007 (85-54), a span of three meetings. UMES topped NSU, 95-64, on Feb. 16 of last season for its last win. MCBRIDE: CENTURY WOMAN: Senior April McBride played her 100th career game at Bethune-Cookman on Jan. 18. 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 76 career games. LADY HAWKS IMPROVING DEFENSIVELY: As of Jan. 31, UMES ranked 145th out of 332 NCAA Division I teams in scoring defense at 62.2 points per game. UMES is also 179th in field-goal percentage defense (39.6) and is sixth in the MEAC in the category. On the other side of the coin, UMES has been outscored by an average of 3.2 points a game, which is 219th nationally. In the season-opening loss at UMBC, the Retrievers made 14 3-point shots, which is the 17th-best total in Division I to date. UMES CONTROLLING THE BOARDS: UMES is third in the MEAC in rebounding margin, outrebounding the opposition by 1.2 boards per game. The Lady Hawks trail only Howard and North Carolina A&T in that category in the conference. UMES is 122nd in the country, according to the latest national statistics and are 5-3 this season when holding a rebounding edge. UMES AFTER A WIN SINCE 2002-03 SEASON: The Lady Hawks come into action with a record of 58-31 (.651) following a win since the 2002-03 season. UMES is 2-4 after a win this season. The best record the team posted in that span was in 2007-08 when it was 12-4. HEAD OF THE CLASS: As of Feb. 6, senior April McBride is leading all MEAC seniors in rebounding. McBride is averaging 8.6 rebounds per game which is good for fourth overall in the conference. She is averaging 3.4 offensive rebounds per game which is fourth best in the league and is also third in the MEAC in defensive rebounding (5.2 per game). SANDERS MAKING AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT: Redshirt freshman forward Chelsea Sanders is second on the Lady Hawks in scoring after 18 games at 11.1 points per game, ranking her 12th in the MEAC. Sanders is averaging 1.1 3-pointers made per game and is tied for 11th in the conference in that category while currently being 13th in 3-point percentage (24.0). MCBRIDE AMONG MEAC LEADERS: In addition to Sanders' solid numbers, McBride is fourth in scoring average with 15.8 points per game. McBride is seventh in field-goal percentage at 45.2 percent as well as 11th in free-throw percentage at 72.6 percent. She is also ninth in blocks per game (0.8). Finally, McBride is fourth in the MEAC in steals at 2.2 per game. TWENTY-FOURTH CAREER 20-POINT GAME: In scoring 24 points against Morgan State on Jan. 25, April McBride registered the 24th 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 Batchelor'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: 226 AND COUNTING: Casey Morton tied a career-high with seven assists for the second time this season against N.C. Central on Jan. 27. She ranks 11th in the conference, averaging 2.8 dimes per game and has 51 total this season. UMES AFTER A LOSS SINCE 2002-03 SEASON: With the Lady Hawks' loss against Hampton Monday, they dropped to 40-66 (.377) following a loss since the 2002-03 season. UMES is 5-5 after a loss this season. The best record the team posted in that span was in 2005-06 when it was 7-5. 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 PICKED 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 18 games. UMES is shooting just 23.8 percent (66-for-277) from beyond the arc, which is 10th in the conference. The statistic is especially troubling considering that UMES is taking 27.3 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-11 versus Georgia State.UMES attempted a season-high 40 3-pointers at UMBC (9-for-40). LAST TIME OUT AGAINST NORFOLK STATE: Four players reached double figures as UMES rolled to a 95-64 win at the Hytche Center on Feb. 16, 2009. April McBride, Tiffany Reid and Adobi Agbasi each totaled 16 points while McBride added 15 rebounds, three blocks and two steals. UMES led the entire way in the game and by as many as 41with more than 11 minutes remaining. UMES outscored NSU in the paint, 40-18, off turnovers, 28-7, and in second-chance points, 26-19. 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. Six players are averaging at least 15 minutes per contest and five players are averaging at least 20 minutes per game. No UMES player is averaging more than April McBride's 30.7 per night. BUCKNER'S 3-POINT DROUGHT: Latoya Buckner is just 4-of-30 from 3-point range this season. She has missed her last 22-of-26 attempts from deep. She made her only four 3-pointers at UMBC on Nov. 15, at Bethune-Cookman on Jan. 18 and at home against N.C. Central on Jan. 27 and Howard on Jan. 30. MAGIC MAN RETURNS AS COACH: After graduating from UMES in 2008, Richard "Magic" Ashley returns as a graduate assistant coach for the Lady Hawks in 2009-10. He previously worked for the team from 2006-08 as the student assistant and the assistant strength and conditioning coach. Following graduation, he was the top assistant coach for the William Penn High School boy's varsity squad, helping guide the team to a 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. 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-SEVEN GAMES IN TWO YEARS IN DOUBLE DIGITS Senior April McBride scored in double figures in 37 games over the last two seasons. She has scored in double figures in 80 games in her three-plus years at UMES. Casey Morton is second in career double-figure games with 45.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 Norfolk State Saturday, UMES contiues on the road the Greensboro, N.C., to play North Carolina A&T Monday at 6 p.m. on ESPNU. The Lady Aggies hold a 36-24 advantage in the all-time series dating back to the 1982-83 season. The last UMES win the series was in the 2006-07 season at the Hytche Center on Feb. 3, 2007. The Lady Hawks won by a score of 65-60. |
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