Women's Basketball 1/9/2008 5:00:00 AM MEAC Media Relations

LADY HAWKS HANG ON TO TOP AMERICAN, 60-56

Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) got 22 points from sophomore Tiffany Reid and led by four at the break, 29-25 to secure a 60-56 win over American in women’s hoops action on Tuesday night. The two teams played an even second half and UMES held on to their four point edge to make it three consecutive wins in the series for the Lady Lady Hawks and two wins in a row this season while American dropped their fifth straight.

The two teams entered the contest sporting nearly identical team statistics but the trend showed American was a stronger second half team so Head Coach Fred Batchelor wanted to enter half time with a lead and play a 3-2 zone on American’s hot shooting Liz Hayes. Hayes would lead the Lady Eagles with 14 points but the slid defense from UMES kept her at bay and forced 17 turnovers which UMES turned into 17 points.

American took advantage of second chance opportunities and grabbed an impressive 26 offensive boards, three more than the Lady Hawks got defensively. The Lady Lady Eagles turned that into 18 points off of the second chances.

UMES again used a different starting line-up. Brittany Adkins, making her first start since her freshmen year of 2004-05, came up with six points and four rebounds while Chena Parker, making just her second start of the year added 13 points and grabbed six rebounds.

Queenique Tyler came in off the bench to add seven points.

Despite the close score the game was tied just three times with only two lead changes. The Lady Hawks jumped out to an early lead and maintained that through the first half.

They quickly extended their lead in the second period, putting together a 10-0 run in the first two and half minutes to lead by 14, 39-25. That would be their largest margin over the Lady Eagles. American cut it to 10 two minutes later but a Reid jumper and a pair of free throws made it 14 again, 43-29 with 14:43 to go.

American kept clawing and had the lead down to just two points, going on a 16-3 run over the next seven minutes to make it 47-45 with 8:03 to play. They would tie it at the 7:47 mark on a Michelle Kirk lay-in and take the lead on an ?and one’ free throw. They would be up two, 49-47 with 5:16 top lay, extending their run to 20-4.
UMES didn’t give up either, they tied the game on an Adkins lay-in and took the lead right back with Adkins free throws, a parker put-back and a Reid three pointer that make it 56-49 with just under three minutes to play. American would cut it to two but get no closer as UMES would hold on for the four point win, 60-56.

UMES begins Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play on Saturday with a trip to Winston-Salem State on Saturday that does not count in MEAC standings. They then head to South Carolina State for their first official MEAC game on Monday.