March 1, 2004
Click here to listen to the women's game beginning at 5:00 pm
Click here to listen to the men's game beginning at 8:00 pm
The Men's Game
The UMES men's basketball team looks to end a three-game losing streak in it's regular-season finale against Morgan State at Hill Field House Monday. The Hawks (7-19, 6-11 MEAC) are coming off a 61-38 loss at Coppin State Saturday night, a game they played without leading scorer Tee Trotter and center Tim Parham.
The Bears enter play Monday at 8-8 in conference play, though the team has lost four of its last five games. The first time the teams met, the Hawks upset Morgan 85-72 on January 27th at the Hytche Center.
Scouting the Bears
The Morgan State Bears come into play Monday tied for 6th place in the MEAC with an 8-8 record (9-14 overall). Norfolk State is also 8-8 in the conference. The Bears would need to win their final two regular season games and get some help from teams above them in the standings in order to move up to 5th place and earn a first-round bye in the MEAC tournament.
Morgan State has been nearly unbeatable at home this season, going 7-1 at Hill Field House thus far (6-1 MEAC) with two home games remaining. The only home loss came 2/14 against Howard by one point (63-62). The Bears are only 2-13 away from home, including an 85-72 loss to UMES on January 27th. After the game was postponed a day because of snow, the Hawks took control in the first-half and built a 14-point halftime lead. Then as Morgan tried to come back in the final minutes, UMES iced the win by going 16-16 in the final 1:15 at the foul line.
News and Notes
Tee Trotter has now scored 1,840 points in his career at UMES, and on Feb. 21st passed Levi Fountaine (1,816) for second-place on the school's all-time scoring list. On Feb. 12th, he passed Ken Simmons (1,748) to become the school's all-time Division-I scoring leader...On Feb. 17th, Trotter was named MEAC Player of the Week by the conference for the third week in a row, after leading the Hawks to a 2-1 record. The senior is now averaging 18.3 ppg this season, which is second in the MEAC to FAMU's Terrence Woods (20.1). Tee finished second in the conference in scoring last season (20.5 ppg)...It took UMES 22 games this season to better its win total from all of '02-'03 (7-19 now, 5-23 overall last season)...The Hawks have struggled from the field so far this season, coming into play Saturday shooting only 37% as a team...The Hawks have two family connections between players and coaches. Tee Trotter is head coach Thomas Trotter's son, while center Tim Parham is a cousin of assistant coach Paris Parham.
Life Without Tee
Senior Jimmy Boykin scored 14 of his 16 points in the first six minutes and pulled down seven rebounds in his final game at the Coppin Center, leading Coppin State past UMES 61-38 Saturday night. The Hawks were playing without leading scorer and three-time MEAC Player of the Week Tee Trotter and leading big-man Tim Parham.
The game was a mirror image an earlier contest between the two teams earlier in the season that the Eagles handily won 68-42 in Princess Anne. In that contest, the Eagles held UMES to just 34 percent shooting, while Saturday the Hawks shot just 27% for the game.
Boykin, who was honored before the game for his three years of play at Coppin State, opened the game up by hitting his first three baskets, all from three-point range, to spark a 17-5 Coppin run over the first six minutes of the game. A three-pointer by freshman West Otis at the end of the half closed out the 22-7 run, giving the Eagles a 37-15 lead at the break and taking the fight out of the Hawks.
Kelvin Green finished the contest with a game-high 17 points, while Otis added seven points off the bench, as the Eagles' subs outscored the UMES bench, 31-16. Javes Wiggins had 11 points and eight rebounds to lead the Hawks.
UMES ROSTER AT A GLANCE
Probable Starters
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG
1 Tee Trotter G 5'11 180 Sr. 18.3 2.1
DNP Saturday b/c of knee injury, had started every prior game this season...During his last 11 games, averaging 23.2 ppg (255 pts) and three times has been named MEAC Player of the Week...Hit GW shot with 4 sec. left to beat Howard 56-55 on 2/9...Scored 36 pts (7-12 3's) at FAMU 1/31 (most pts scored in game by a Hawks player this season)....Second in MEAC in scoring last season (20.5 ppg)...MEAC second-team preseason selection, and candidate for Francis Pomery Naismith Award (for the nation's best player under 6'0).
32 Aaron Wellington G 5'11 160 So. 11.3 2.9
Scored 8 pts (3-10 FGs, 2-7 3's) in 30 min at Coppin St.....Season-high 23 pts, 18 in second half, at Sav. St 1/29...Team's second-leading scorer so far this season and was also in '02-'03...Pure shooter with knack for scoring.
44 Jareem Dowling F 6'6 235 Jr. 3.9 2.6
0 pts (0-6 FGs) and 1 reb in 21 min at Coppin St...Tied career-high with 12 pts in 35 min vs. Morgan St. 1/27...Shooting 32-123 FGs (26%) this season (10-52 3's-19%)...Transfer from Cecil C.C. averaged 11 pts and 6 rebounds in '02-'03.
4 Javes Wiggins F 6'7 220 Sr. 5.6 6.6
11 pts, 8 reb at Coppin St...Career-high 15 reb vs. NC A&T 2/14...Season-high 14 pts at DSU 2/7...Leads team in rebounding, currently 5th in conference...Was leading rebounder in '02-'03, also third-leading returning scorer.
42 Tim Parham C 6'9 240 Jr. 6.3 3.3
DNP Saturday b/c of personal reasons...Had 18 points last Monday vs. Hampton and 2/14 vs. NC A&T...Scored 20 pts (8-10 FGs) vs. PSU 12/27 (only 2nd D-I game)...Junior-college transfer joined team 12/20 after end of fall semester.
Reserves
Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. PPG RPG
3 DeWitt Scott G 6'6 200 Fr. 2.7 1.6
2 points, 0 rebs in 10 min at Coppin St (first points in last 12 games)...Career high 9 pts, 11 rebs at Norfolk St. 1/17...True freshman from Chicago.
5 Lawrence Smith G 5'10 150 Jr. 0.8 0.6
Made 3rd start of season at Coppin St (0 pts)...Career-high 7 pts in career-high 30 min vs. Hampton 2/23...Defensive specialist, serves as backup point guard.
10 Marcus Gutierrez G 6'4 185 So. 1.1 1.3
5 min at Coppin St (0 pts) after DNP previous 12 games....Career-high 6 pts (3-5 FGs) vs. Del St 1/3..Added to roster following conclusion of fall semester.
13 Kirk Wesley F 6'3 190 Sr. 0.5 0.1
Played 1 min vs. Hampton 2/23 after 10 straight DNP's...Has played in 10 of 26 games...All 5 pts this season from foul line...Hard-nosed, athletic player.
14 Jermaul Akanbi G 6'2 165 So. 0.5 0.2
Played season-high 8 min (0 pts) at Coppin St...Has played in 6 games this season (incl. last two)...Scored only FG vs. Coppin State 1/24 (2 pts, 1 asst).
21 Antoine Joiner F 6'5 180 Jr. 3.9 2.6
2 pts, 3 rebs in 20 min at Coppin St (0-6 FGs)...12 pts vs. S.C. St. 2/16 (first start in 13 games)...Hit GW FTs w/ 9 sec. left at Sav. St. 1/29...Season-high 13 pts v. Del St 1/3...Shooting 28-92 FGs (30%) this season, but 24-28 FTs (86%).
25 Brandon Wilson G 6'4 190 R-Fr. 1.6 1.0
Scored career-high-matching 6 points (2-3 3's) at Coppin St (also 6 points at Ill. 12/11)...Freshman season, originally from Long Island, NY.
33 Didier Socka F 6'7 225 Sr. 3.6 3.0
2 pts, 2 rebs in 14 min at Coppin St....Career-high 17 pts (8-10 FGs) in 19 min vs. BCC 2/2...Started first two games of season, came off bench in every game since....Returning leader in FG % (47%) and blocked shots (15) from '02-'03.
35 Shondale Robinson F 6'5 200 So. 0.7 1.0
Played career-high 14 min at Coppin St., his first action in 14 games (hadn't played since at Norfolk St. 1/17), scored first career points (4 pts, 2-4 FGs).
55 Jason McKinnon C 6'11 270 Jr. 2.4 3.1
Played 17 min at Coppin St., had 2 pts, 4 rebs (first pts 18 games)...Has started 9 of 26 games...Only double-double of season (11 pts, 11 rebs) at RMU 12/21.
The Women's Game
The UMES Lady Hawks go for their fifth win in seven games as they conclude the regular season with a MEAC contest against Morgan State Monday. The game tips off at 5:00 p.m. from Hill Field House.
The Lady Hawks are coming off a 78-61 loss against Coppin State Saturday, their second-straight blowout loss following a four-game winning streak. UMES beat Morgan by 37 points on January 27th at the Hytche Center (94-57), matching the team's high point total in a game this season. The Lady Hawks outscored Morgan 58-31 in the second half.
News and Notes
During the Lady Hawks' four-game winning streak that ended last Monday, the team was on fire offensively. UMES averaged 88 ppg (350 total) during the four games, and had an average margin of victory of 27 points. During the streak, UMES outscored its opponents 192-110 in the second half....In spite of the Lady Hawks' sub-par conference record, nine of the team's 12 MEAC losses have come by 9 points or fewer. The team has led in the second half in 8 of those 12 losses...After a slow start to the season, UMES guard Laconia Hatcher has caught fire. Hatcher, who failed to score double-figures in any of the first five games this season, has scored in double-figures in 17 of the 21 games since, and is now the Lady Hawks' second-leading scorer at 12.6 ppg....Tiffany Winkfield recorded her 14th double-double of the season last Saturday against Norfolk St. (27 pts, 20 rebs). The senior is leading UMES with both 14.1 ppg and 10.7 rpg (also leads the MEAC)....The Lady Hawks have been a second-half team in '03-'04. Despite the team's losing record, UMES has out-scored its opponents 968-893 in the second half this season.
Eagles Soar Again
Sherrie Tucker scored a career-high 24 points to lead Coppin State past Maryland Eastern Shore 78-61, in the final home game of the year for the Lady Eagles Saturday night.
Tucker staked Coppin (16-10, 12-5 MEAC) to a 21-5 lead with 13 points in the first nine minutes, as the hosts shot a torrid 10-of-16, while UMES connected on just 2 of 15 field goals during that stretch.
Coppin was never seriously challenged after that, taking a 39-20 lead into the intermission and extending it to as much as 24 points in the second period.
Tucker was 8-for-12 from the floor and 7-for-9 from the free throw line and also pulled down seven rebounds. The Lady Eagles, who won their third straight game, also got 15 points and 11 boards from Leisel Harry for her fifth consecutive double-double, and Courtni Strickland chipped in with a career-high 15 points. Erica Bennett was the only Lady Hawk to reach double figures, finishing with 14 points.
MEAC 2003-04 Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
Rk School Pts
1. Hampton (13) 413
2. Delaware St. (5) 385
3. Florida A&M 339
4. Bethune-Cook. 283
5. Howard (1) 261
6. MD East. Shore 203
7. S. Carolina St. 188
8. Coppin State 177
9. Norfolk State 143
10. N. Carolina A&T 119
11. Morgan State 33
(first-place votes in parenthesis)
All-MEAC First Team
G Yolanda Dixon, FAMU
G Mandy Clark, Delaware St.
F Lynetta Sullivan, Hampton
F LaKesha Wills, Coppin St.
C Kim Watson, FAMU
Second Team
G Terrell Waller, Delaware St.
G Katie Clark, Bethune-Cook.
F Tiffany Winkfield, UMES
F Lauren Forsthoff, Bethune-Cook
C Nicole Brathwaite, Hampton
-As selected in a preseason vote of MEAC coaches and Sports Information Directors
