STRONG FIRST HALF DEFENSE NOT ENOUGH AS UMES FALLS TO WAKE FOREST 77-45 DAVE VATZ 12/29/11 Lady Hawks allow just 25 points in first half WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Despite a strong first half defensive effort by the Lady Hawks, allowing just 25 points in the first 20 minutes, UMES fell to Wake Forest 77-45 at the Joel Coliseum on Thursday. Each defense stood strong to start. An Adobi Agbasi (Columbus, Ga.) layup and Amber Cook (Greensboro, N.C.) free throw put UMES within three 6-3 at the 14:35 mark in the first half. The Demon Deacons followed with a 12-1 run to go up 18-4 with 8:53 left in the period. UMES scored the next three baskets, with Chelsea Sanders (Rochester, N.Y.), Courtney Braxton (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Kwinnyata Mercer (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) contributing to a 7-1 run in just over three minutes to get back within eight 19-11. Each side exchanged points as Wake led 25-15 going into halftime. The Lady Hawks defense held Wake Forest to 26.7% shooting in the first half, with Agbasi earning three blocks and Sanders getting three steals in that period. Out of the locker room, Karona Roach (Bear, Del.) hit a jumper on UMES's first possession to get the Lady Hawks back within eight. After the Demon Deacons went up by 12, a pair of layups from Sanders returned the deficit to eight points. After a Dearica Hamby score, Mercer hit her second three of the game with 17:07 to go to pull UMES within seven 31-24. Unfortunately for the Lady Hawks, that is as close as they got in the contest. Led by a pair of three-pointers by Erin Hall and nine points by Sandra Garcia, Wake Forest put together a 16-2 run for a 47-26 lead. A Sanders layup was followed by a 10-0 run by the home team for a 29-point lead. At 57-28 with 10:45 to play, Agbasi hit a layup plus another two-pointer, after a Hamby free throw, in less than 40 seconds to put the score at 58-32 Wake Forest. UMES tried to comeback, including eight points from Porsha Barr (Waldorf, Md.) in the final seven minutes, but the Lady Hawks could not overcome the deficit and fell 77-45. Sanders led the Lady Hawks with 11 points and four steals, adding four rebounds and a pair of blocks. Agbasi finished with six points, three blocks and two assists, while Mercer had seven rebounds for UMES, adding six points. Hall went 4-9 from the perimeter, finishing with a team leading 16 points. Garcia got 12 points off 5-5 shooting and eight rebounds, with Brooke Thomas finishing with 10 assists and four boards. UMES will tip off against Elizabeth City State, formerly coached by head coach Fred Batchelor, on Monday, January 2nd at 6:00 p.m. on the road.