Brooks’ Shot Snaps Howard Win Streak

Boxscore

Princess Anne, MD—March 4—Jesse Brooks sank a three pointer with 8 seconds remaining to give Maryland Eastern Shore a dramatic, 73-72 win over Howard University in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular season finale at the W.P. Hytche Center.  The loss snapped a season-best four-game win streak for the Bison (6-21 overall, 5-13 in the MEAC), who will face off against North Carolina A&T on Tuesday at 9 p.m. in the MEAC Play-In Round at the RBC Center in Raleigh, NC.
            The game was well-played throughout most of the game as neither team could gain a comfortable lead.  The Hawks (7-21 overall, 4-14 in the MEAC) held a 36-35 advantage at halftime on the strength of senior forward Tim Parham’s 10 points and 8 rebounds.  The Bison’s main source of scoring came from freshman forward Eugene Myatt, who led all scorers with 12 points.
            In the second half, UMES began to go their talented freshman duo of Brooks and Troy Jackson and they delivered.  Brooks scored 12 of his 14 and Jackson, a strong candidate for MEAC Rookie of the Year, got 7 of his 14.  The two helped the Hawks open up their biggest lead at 48-41 at the 12:41 mark.
            Then the Bison put together a rally of their own, led by junior guard Will Gant and junior forward Darryl Hudson, who each had 10 points in the second half.  Gant’s fourth three pointer of the game tied the contest at 70-all with less than a minute remaining.
            Following a UMES turnover, Howard’s Jason Trotter (8 points, 3 rebounds) was fouled and made both free throws to give the Bison a 72-70 advantage with 24 seconds remaining.
            The Hawks called a timeout and ran off 16 seconds before Brooks launched his shot from straightaway.  It went through as he hit the floor. The Bison rushed the ball up the floor, but failed to get off a shot before the final buzzer.
            Gant finished with 16, Myatt with 14 and Hudson with 13 for Howard in a losing cause.
            UMES was led by Jackson’s 18, Antonio McMillion 16 and Brooks’ 14.  Parham recorded another double-double of 13 points and 14 rebounds.
            The first round game against eighth-seeded NC A&T is a re-match between the two rivals, who played on Wednesday, March 1 in Greensboro, NC.  The ninth-seeded Bison toughed out a 58-50 win.  It was the only meeting between the two schools this season.