The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks men’s basketball team secured a 69-57 victory over Howard University on Saturday, improving their record to 2-0 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play. This marks the first time since 1996 that the Hawks have started MEAC competition with two consecutive wins.
Howard took an early lead, fueled by Travell Bryson’s scoring, as the Bison opened up a 10-2 advantage. The Hawks struggled offensively at the outset but began to recover following a layup by Zion Obanla and a midrange basket from Jaden Cooper. By halftime, UMES had used an 11-2 run and capitalized on turnovers to take a 34-30 lead.
Howard responded after the break, regaining a brief edge before Obanla’s contributions off the bench helped UMES reclaim control. The game remained close until late in the second half when key three-point shots from Michael Teal, Jaden Johnson, and Cooper extended the Hawks’ lead. UMES closed out the contest by converting seven of eight free throws while limiting Howard to just one point in the final two minutes.
Saturday’s win also ended a six-game losing streak against Howard for UMES. Dorion Staples led all Hawks scorers with 16 points. Cooper added 13 points; Teal recorded 11 points and six assists; Obanla contributed 10 points along with seven rebounds and two blocks off the bench.
UMES was efficient from the free throw line, making 18 of their 22 attempts compared to Howard’s seven for eleven. The Hawks also held an advantage in points scored off turnovers (18-11) and received significant support from their reserves, who outscored Howard’s bench players by twelve points.
Travelle Bryson led Howard with a game-high 18 points and eight rebounds.
Head coach Cleo Hill, Jr., commented on his team’s performance: “I thought tonight’s effort was great. Howard came in with great intensity and I thought our guys responded well. We thought our depth and size would help us down the stretch and it made a difference tonight.”
Hill added: “I thought we had great contributions from everyone tonight. Jaden Johnson, a Maryland product, gave us some big minutes tonight and made some great decisions with the ball in his hands down the stretch. Zion Obanla gave us a huge spark in the second half on both ends of the floor and Trey Brown came in and made some plays when he was called upon. Overall, tonight was an excellent team effort.”
He continued: “I have always felt our team is only as good as our senior leadership. Michael Teal and Jaden Cooper in the backcourt really kept us focused while Dorion Staples provided a great offensive presence tonight. Those three guys did a great job in helping us come out on top.”
“For us, it is all about building our culture. We believe we can win by playing hard and holding each other accountable. We are now at 2-0 in the conference with the focus shifting to our next game at Norfolk State.”
The Hawks will face Norfolk State on Monday night as they continue MEAC play.
