April McBride and Chena Parker posted 45 combined points and 27 combined rebounds and both set career highs as they led the Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) to a 74-54 win over the visiting Rattlers of Florida A&M. (FAMU).
The win improves UMES to a 16-10 record and 9-4 in MEAC play.
McBride and Parker both had double-doubles as McBride added 11 rebounds and Parker had a career-high with 13 rebounds. McBride's 27 points matches her career best.
The game was closer than the score showed as FAMU (11-14, 2-11 MEAC) kept hanging around in a game that saw no ties and just two lead changes. UMES managed to always stay one step ahead of the pesky Rattlers but not several steps ahead until the final minutes.
The game started with the Hawks jumping out to a nine point lead at the 9:55 mark on a Queenique Tyler three-pointer. FAMU fought back to cut the lead to one point with 4:06 to play when Kirsten Stallings hit a lay-up, making it 21-20. They took the lead on a Joslyne Jackson jumper at the 3:11 mark, 22-21, but UMES quickly took the lead right back, getting a Parker lay-in followed by a McBride jumper to make it 25-22.
Parker made the lead eight with just 1:14 to play in the half but a pair of three-pointers from Thyeis Halley and Q'Vaunda Curry cut the lead to two, 32-30 heading into the locker-room.
UMES came out quickly in the second half, extending their lead to 11 just five minutes into the half. They were up 43-32 on a Parker jumper at that point. From there the lead hovered between six and 10 for most of the half until a Halley jumper and a Jackson lay-up cut the lead to three, 52-49 with 5:50 to play.
The Lady Hawks were not losing on Homecoming. They went back and forth with the Rattlers for a few minutes until, with 2:11 to play; they went from up six, 60-54, to up 15, with 1:28 to go. Tiffany Reid nailed a three, stole the inbound and laid it in to spark the 9-0 run. Brittany Adkins added a pair of free throws as did Casey Morton who got her only two points on free throws after Adkins' trip.
The run continued and would end 14-0 as FAMU continued to foul and Adkins made three of four free throws and Parker stole an inbound and laid it in to make the game's final margin 20, 74-54.
FAMU defensively pressured Morton who was 0-12 from the floor and 0-6 from behind the arc. Even though FAMU keyed on her and her shot would not fall, Morton stayed involved, dishing out a career best seven assists, grabbing three steals and committing just three turnovers under the Rattler pressure.
Reid and Adkins both added nine points for UMES while Jessica Ayilola added four.
FAMU was led by Jackson who had 12 points and Curry who added 11. Curry also had nine rebounds.
The win was the fourth Homecoming win n four tries over Florida A&M for UMES in the last six seasons, seeming to always match-up with the Rattlers. Coach Batchelor is 3-1 at UMES in Homecoming games.
UMES had a season high in attendance with 4,800 fans for the women's game.
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