Maryland Eastern Shore can’t secure upset of North Carolina Central

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore came back from a 13-point deficit in the first half to take the lead at the break against North Carolina Central in Saturday’s Homecoming matchup. Then the Hawks rebounded from down as many as 19 points in the second half to within four before a momentum killing technical foul kicked off a 9-0 Eagles run and then an 82-69 loss.

“It’s the team that can make the plays at the end of the game, it’s the team that can stay disciplined and stay focused that is going to be successful,” Hawks head coach Bobby Collins said. “It’s very disappointing that our alumni come back and I wanted them to see a team with some guts and some heart and we just didn’t get that done tonight. I’m very disappointed.”

With the Hawks trailing by four and 1:41 remaining, Thomas Rivera (Harlem, New York) drove the ball up the floor and was blocked by N.C Central’s Pablo Rivas. The Hawks came up with the ball and Marc Seylan (Paris, France) was fouled.

But Rivera was whistled for a technical after he slammed the ball to the ground and when he missed the catch on the return it bounced 20 feet in the air.

“Obviously, we lost our focus tonight and it cost us the game,” Collins said. “It came down to making plays and we didn’t make the tough plays we needed. We didn’t make the plays and we made some bone-headed decisions.”

The Hawks (9-18, 6-6 MEAC) got a game-high 19 points from sophomore Dontae Caldwell (Santa Ana, California) to go along with seven rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. It was Caldwell’s first game back in the starting lineup since he sprained his ankle at Hampton.

Following the game, Caldwell was given the Jesse T. Williams award for his Homecoming performance.

“That is a very talented basketball team,” Collins said. “I expect Dontae to make those plays. He’s coming back off his injury. Bakari Copeland is up and down. I want more consistency from him. This is a game we needed him and he really didn’t have it.”

Copeland (Decatur, Georgia), a senior, chipped in 15 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Isaac Taylor (Wachapreague, Virginia) added 10 points, five rebounds and a block.

The half-court pressure again helped the Hawks claw their way back into a game but they didn’t quite get the job done like they did late against Bethune-Cookman on Monday.

The Eagles (20-16, 11-1 MEAC) are the only team to have beaten the Hawks by a double-digit margin during Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play and have now done so twice.

Eastern Shore will next host North Carolina A&T (2-25, 0-12 MEAC) on Monday (Feb. 20) at 7:30 p.m.